California is the gold standard for state privacy laws, having recently enacted the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). Virginia and Colorado also have enacted comprehensive privacy laws, which will take effect in 2023. Recently, the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) released its state privacy legislation tracker.
Litigation Over Massachusetts’ “Right to Repair” Law Continues
By Kathryn Rattigan on
Posted in Enforcement + Litigation
As we previously wrote, in November 2021, Ballot Question 1 in Massachusetts was passed, which requires car manufacturers that sell cars equipped with telematics systems (i.e., a method of monitoring a vehicle by combining a GPS system with on-board diagnostics to record – and map – exactly where a car is and how fast…
Smart Health Cards, Vaccine Passports, and Privacy
By Robinson+Cole's Data Privacy + Cybersecurity Team on
Posted in Coronavirus, Data Privacy
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee recently announced that they are considering implementing vaccine passport programs in their respective states. Baker stated that he is working with other states to use a QR code system that allows users to scan to verify vaccination status. In Rhode Island, the Department of Health…
Update on the Massachusetts Right to Repair Lawsuit
By Kathryn Rattigan on
Posted in Data Privacy, Enforcement + Litigation
As I wrote about previously on our blog, the Massachusetts Right to Repair amendment passed in November is up against a lawsuit from auto manufacturers. Now, the Massachusetts’ Attorney General’s office has responded stating that the state law does not conflict with any federal statute and that voters already rejected all of the lawsuits allegations.…
Massachusetts Ballot Question 1 Still on the Forefront as Automakers Sue to Block its Implementation
By Kathryn Rattigan on
Posted in Data Privacy
A group of automakers through the Alliance for Automotive Innovation is suing Massachusetts in federal court to block the new ‘Right to Repair’ law that passed on November 3rd. This law was known as “Question 1” to Massachusetts residents hitting the polls earlier this month. As we discussed in our prior blog post, the…
Introducing the New York SHIELD Act
By Kathryn Rattigan on
Posted in Enforcement + Litigation
The New York “Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security Act” (SHIELD Act), N.Y. Gen Bus. Law§ 899-bb, requires businesses that collect private information on New York residents to implement reasonable cybersecurity safeguards to protect that information. While this is a new law in the State of New York, it is simply joining other states,…
New Hampshire Enacts Insurance Data Security Law
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Data Security
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu recently signed the New Hampshire Insurance Data Security Law, which “establishes the exclusive state standards applicable to licensees for data security, the investigation of a cybersecurity event…, and notification to the commissioner.” The law is applicable to all persons or entities licensed, authorized to operate, registered or required to be…
Cities Consider Banning the Use of Facial Recognition Technology
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in New + Now
In the footsteps of San Francisco’s ban of the use of facial recognition technology, the cities of Somerville, Massachusetts, Oakland, California, and Berkeley, California are considering banning the use of facial recognition technology by municipal agencies. The proposed ban is in the midst of more and more cameras and smart technology being used for traffic…
GozNym Malware Attack Hits Two Law Firms for Over $117K in Losses
By Robinson+Cole's Data Privacy + Cybersecurity Team on
Posted in Enforcement + Litigation
Two law firms were among the latest victims of the GozNym malware attack that caused a combined loss of more than $117,000. Law enforcement authorities recently announced the dismantling of a cybercrime network that used this GozNym malware to attempt to steal an estimated $100 million from victims in the United States and around the…
States Legislate Cybersecurity Requirements for Insurance Companies
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Cybersecurity
Following in the footsteps of the New York Department of Financial Regulation (NYDFS) in enacting cybersecurity requirements for the financial services industry, and in response to massive data breaches in the insurance industry, a wave of states have either enacted or are pursuing legislation aimed at regulating the cybersecurity measures of insurance companies.
In 2017,…