personal data – Duane Morris TechLaw

April 10, 2024April 10, 2024 by Duane Morris

Webinar: Tech Sector Sanctions, Export Controls and Foreign Investment Rules in the U.S., the U.K. and the EU

Duane Morris’ Technology, Media and Telecom Industry Group will present a webinar, Tech Sector Sanctions, Export Controls and Foreign Investment Rules in the U.S., the U.K. and the EU, on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern time | 5:00 p.m. London time.

Our program provides an overview and analysis of the numerous and expanding U.S., U.K. and EU sanctions, export controls and foreign investment rules that the tech sector must navigate. To help companies in this increasingly complex landscape, we will provide strategic insights and compliance guidance on key regulations, developments and trends. REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR.

September 20, 2019September 20, 2019 by Duane Morris

Amendments to the CCPA Ready for Governor’s Signature

By: Michelle Hon Donovan, Brandi Taylor and Angelica Zabanal

Last Friday, September 13, 2019, marked the final day for the California Legislature to vote to pass amendments intended to clarify the terms and scope of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which takes effect on January 1, 2020. The bills are now on Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk for approval, and the Governor will have until October 13, 2019, to sign or veto them.

Of the CCPA amendment bills that were in consideration, the following were passed:

AB 25, regarding employee exemption
AB 874, regarding the definition of PI (personal information)
AB 1146, regarding warranty and vehicle repairs
AB 1355, regarding the B2B exemption and other clarifying amendments
AB 1564, regarding toll-free telephone number exception

Also of note, AB 1130 – a bill that does not specifically amend CCPA – also passed. This bill expands the categories of PI covered by California’s data breach notification laws, which will now include tax identification numbers, passport numbers, military identification numbers and unique identification numbers issued on a government document, as well as certain types of specified unique biometric data. This expansion is anticipated to impact liability under the CCPA’s private right of action

While not an exhaustive list of the bills that stalled during the legislative process, the following bills of note failed to be passed by the legislature:

AB 873, regarding the definition of de-identified
AB 846, regarding customer loyalty programs
AB 981, regarding exemption for certain insurance transactions

While the approved amendments did not significantly overhaul the CCPA, several notable changes were made. Please see our Alert for a detailed discussion of these changes.

November 28, 2018 by Duane Morris

Pa. Supreme Court Rules Employers Have Legal Duty to Protect Employees’ Personal Information from Data Breaches

On November 21, 2018, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) had a legal duty to exercise reasonable care to protect sensitive employee information against an unreasonable risk of harm when that information is stored on an internet-accessible computer system. Dittman v. UPMC, No. 43 WAP 2017 (Pa. Nov. 21, 2018). In doing so, the Court made clear that the criminal acts of third parties who may breach a computer system do not alleviate the legal duty on a business to protect such information. The Court further held that the economic loss doctrine (a doctrine that precludes tort cases where the loss is purely monetary) did not apply in this case because the legal duty to protect sensitive employee information exists independently from any contractual obligations between the parties.

Visit the Duane Morris LLP website to read the full Alert.

June 7, 2016June 7, 2016 by Eric J. Sinrod

How to Keep Your Personally Identifiable Information Secure Online

It seems like we constantly are hearing about Internet hacks and the stealing of personally identifiable information online. At this point, we use the Internet for so many positive aspects of our lives. Given that we inevitably are online, what are some steps that we can employ to keep our private information safe?

Here are just a few simple tips to keep in mind:

First, it is important to protect your credit card information. One way of doing this is to check and see that the website you are logging onto is secure. One thing to look for is whether the URL begins with HTTPS and not just HTTP. Also, it is important to log out of your customer accounts when you are done with transactions — especially financial transactions. Continue reading “How to Keep Your Personally Identifiable Information Secure Online”

August 13, 2014May 20, 2016 by Eric J. Sinrod

Wait, Now USB Devices May Be Unsafe Too?

Thumb drives, keyboards, and mice, oh my! That’s right, these USB devices now may be the latest “lions, tigers, and bears” to fear in our high-tech world.

According to a recent Reuters article, such USB devices possibly can be compromised to hack into personal computers in a previously unknown form of attack that supposedly can side-step current security precautions.

As reported by Reuters, Karsten Nohl, a chief scientist at SR Labs in Berlin, has stated that hackers potentially can load software onto very small and inexpensive chips that control the functions of USB devices, but which presently do not have “built-in shields” that would prevent tampering with the devices’ operative code.

Continue reading “Wait, Now USB Devices May Be Unsafe Too?”