EC Unveils Digital Strategy, Data Strategy, and AI White Paper

The European Commission (EC) has released a digital strategy, Shaping Europe's Digital Future, along with two components of this strategy: a "European strategy for data" and a white paper on artificial intelligence. This initiative flows from the new European leadership and could significantly change how the European Union (EU) regulates technology and data in the … Continue reading EC Unveils Digital Strategy, Data Strategy, and AI White Paper →

FTC Demands Ten Years of Information From Big Tech On Mergers and Acquisitions

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued an order to a number of large technology companies with an eye towards determining if the current threshold for federal examination of mergers and acquisitions is too high for a number of technology-related acquisitions. However, larger acquisitions above the threshold of about $90 million are not part of … Continue reading FTC Demands Ten Years of Information From Big Tech On Mergers and Acquisitions →

Further Reading (March 2)

“Senior intelligence official told lawmakers that Russia wants to see Trump reelected” – Washington Post and “Lawmakers Are Warned That Russia Is Meddling to Re-elect Trump” – New York Times. According to these accounts of a briefing provided to the House Intelligence Committee by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), the status … Continue reading Further Reading (March 2) →

Further Reading (February 27)

“‘The intelligence coup of the century’” – The Washington Post. A fascinating read of how the Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency and West Germany’s intelligence agency used a Swiss company, Crypto AG, to sell encryption machines to the governments of many countries that enabled the agencies to spy on their communications. This operation … Continue reading Further Reading (February 27) →

Democrat Proposes Creating Data Protection Authority To Address Privacy

Another Senate Democrat has introduced a privacy and data security bill. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's "Data Protection Act of 2020" (S. 3300) would create a federal data protection authority along the lines of the agencies each European Union member nation has. This new agency would be the primary federal regulator of privacy laws, including a number … Continue reading Democrat Proposes Creating Data Protection Authority To Address Privacy →

Revised Data Care Act Released

Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) and his cosponsors have reintroduced a slightly changed version of the “Data Care Act” (S. 2961), a privacy bill that would impose upon many entities that collect and use the personal data of people a fiduciary duty of care. In December 2018, Schatz and his cosponsors introduced the “Data Care Act” … Continue reading Revised Data Care Act Released →

Privacy Bill Revived and Revised in Washington State

The Washington state legislature is again trying to pass privacy legislation after an effort to do so last session fell short. If passed, this would constitute the second major privacy and data security bill enacted in the U.S. after the “California Consumer Privacy Act” (CCPA) (AB 375) and the revised bill contains significant differences from … Continue reading Privacy Bill Revived and Revised in Washington State →

Further Reading (January 27)

“‘Chaos Is the Point’: Russian Hackers and Trolls Grow Stealthier in 2020” – The New York Times. Not surprisingly U.S. and western officials expect a cyber onslaught during the 2020 election. However, they also expect new players on the field and new methods to disrupt and influence the election. But of greatest concern, many states, … Continue reading Further Reading (January 27) →

House Energy and Commerce Releases Privacy Discussion Draft

As rumored, in mid-December, the House Energy and Commerce Committee has released its privacy discussion draft that is the result of a bipartisan effort led by Consumer Protection & Commerce Subcommittee Chair Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA). The subcommittee is sharing this draft with stakeholders and is asking for feedback … Continue reading House Energy and Commerce Releases Privacy Discussion Draft →

Senate Commerce Revisits Privacy In Light of Legislative Proposals

On December 4, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a hearing titled ”Examining Legislative Proposals to Protect Consumer Data Privacy” a week after two competing proposals were released: the “United States Consumer Data Privacy Act of 2019“ (CDPA) and the “Consumer Online Privacy Rights Act“ (COPRA) (S.2968). Chair Roger Wicker (R-MS) stated “[f]or … Continue reading Senate Commerce Revisits Privacy In Light of Legislative Proposals →