The California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) the agency responsible for implementing and enforcing the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) (collectively the CCPA), protecting consumer privacy, and ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations, has announced an investigate sweep into companies’ collection of sensitive location data. The CPPA has already
data privacy
NewsBank Hit with Class Action over Employee Data Breach
By Kathryn Rattigan on
Posted in Enforcement + Litigation
Last week, a class action was filed against NewsBank, Inc., a Florida-based news database company, related to a 2024 breach of employee personal information.
NewsBank provides a database of archived news publications utilized by libraries, higher education institutions, and other organizations. NewsBank suffered a security incident affecting its employees’ personal information between June and July…
Texas AG Investigates DeepSeek + List of Banned Countries Expands
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Artificial Intelligence
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on February 14, 2024, that his office has opened an investigation into DeepSeek’s privacy practices. DeepSeek, an artificial intelligence company with ties to the People’s Republic of China, has been banned on state owned devices in Texas, New York, and Virginia. The Pentagon, NASA, and the U.S. Navy…
Privacy Tip #432 – DOGE Sued for Unauthorized Access to Our Personal Information
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Privacy Tips
The Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) staggering unfettered access to all Americans’ personal information is highly concerning. DOGE employees’ access includes databases at the Office of Personnel Management, the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Treasury.
If you want more information about the DOGE employees who have…
Privacy Tip #431 – DOGE Has Access to Our Personal Information: What You Need to Know
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Privacy Tips
According to a highly critical article recently published by TechCrunch, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), President Trump’s advisory board headed by Elon Musk, has “taken control of top federal departments and datasets” and has access to “sensitive data of millions of Americans and the nation’s closest allies.” The author calls this “the biggest…
Privacy Tip #430 – GrubHub Confirms Security Incident Through Third Party Vendor
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Privacy Tips
If you are a GrubHub customer, read carefully. The app has confirmed a security incident involving a third-party vendor that allowed an unauthorized threat actor to access user contact information, including some customer names, email addresses, telephone numbers, and partial payment information for a subset of campus diners.
GrubHub’s response states, “The unauthorized party also…
Oregon DOJ Issues Children’s Privacy Toolkit under State Consumer Privacy Rights Law
By Kathryn Rattigan on
Posted in Data Privacy
The Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) released a new toolkit sharing with Oregonians how to protect their online information to celebrate Data Privacy Day. The toolkit includes information on how consumers can exercise their rights under the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act (OCPA) and encourages them to take control of their personal information.
The OCPA went…
Privacy Tip #429 – Threat Actors Continue to Use QR Codes For Fraudulent Purposes
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Privacy Tips
We have repeatedly warned our readers about malicious QR codes and their use by threat actors.
Threat actors are now using these codes to disguise packages as gifts. Upon opening the package, recipients find a note with instructions to scan a QR code to identify the sender. The code launches a website that asks for…
FTC Announces Updates to COPPA Rule
By Kathryn Rattigan on
Posted in Data Privacy
On January 16, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a press release stating, “The updated [Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)] rule strengthens key protections for kids’ privacy online. By requiring parents to opt [into] targeted advertising practices, this final rule prohibits platforms and service providers from sharing and monetizing children’s data without active…
The CIO-CMO Collaboration: Powering Ethical AI and Customer Engagement
By Jim Merrifield on
Posted in Artificial Intelligence
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies is reshaping the corporate landscape, offering unparalleled opportunities to enhance customer experiences and streamline operations. At the intersection of this digital transformation lie two key executives—the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). This dynamic duo, when aligned, can drive ethical AI adoption, ensure…