Legislation, Regulation Posts

New California Law Establishes Broad Protections for Children’s Online Privacy – Exceeding Federal Requirements

Oct 4, 2022

New California Law Establishes Broad Protections for Children’s Online Privacy – Exceeding Federal Requirements

California made history in September as the first state to enact legislation that punishes technology companies for violations of minors’ privacy and for practices that jeopardize minors’ safety in an effort to prioritize “the privacy, safety, and well-being of children over commercial interests.”  On September 15th, Governor Newsom signed The California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act…

Telemarketing Restrictions During State of Emergency

Apr 7, 2020

Telemarketing Restrictions During State of Emergency

  If part of your marketing plan involves calls to consumers, please be aware of additional telemarketing restrictions in some states (presently New York and Louisiana) during a state of emergency.   New York New York recently enacted a law to prohibit unsolicited telemarketing calls during a state of emergency. Since New York Governor Andrew Cuomo…

One revision, two revisions … three revisions or more?: The California Attorney General Releases A Second Round of Edits to its Draft CCPA Regulations

Mar 17, 2020

One revision, two revisions … three revisions or more?: The California Attorney General Releases A Second Round of Edits to its Draft CCPA Regulations

While the world is uni-focused on the Corona virus, companies doing business in California and impacted by the California Consumer Privacy Act must face another dizzying round of revisions to the California Attorney General’s draft implementing regulations. The AG released its latest set of revisions on March 11, providing an additional notice and comment period…

Putting the Brakes on Swift and Sweeping Adoption of Facial Recognition Technologies

Nov 12, 2019

Putting the Brakes on Swift and Sweeping Adoption of Facial Recognition Technologies

When it is not clear which way to go, don’t. This is the upshot of an article by Wojciech Wiewiorowski: Facial recognition: A solution in search of a problem? Wiewiorowski is the Assistant Supervisor at the European Data Protection Supervisor (the E.U.’s independent data protection authority), which published his article on their site in late…

No More Bait and Switch: Subscription-Based Businesses Need to Refine Their Pitch Under California Law

Jul 13, 2018

No More Bait and Switch: Subscription-Based Businesses Need to Refine Their Pitch Under California Law

Effective July 1, companies that offer free gift or trial periods for their products or services can no longer bill California consumers automatically at the expiration of the gift or trial period. Companies will be required to provide a “clear and conspicuous” explanation of the price that will be charged—or how the pricing will change—at…

The California Consumer Privacy Act: The Who, What, When, Why…and How.

Jul 10, 2018

The California Consumer Privacy Act: The Who, What, When, Why…and How.

Make room Europe: California is taking on the data privacy challenge. For the last year or so, the privacy world has been abuzz with how to implement the E.U.’s General Data Protection Regulation. The buzz died down once GDPR went into effect in late May. But no rest for the weary. A little over a…

Supreme Court Rules Online Businesses Now Subject to Sales Tax

Jun 21, 2018

Supreme Court Rules Online Businesses Now Subject to Sales Tax

In a ruling announced today, the Supreme Court held that online businesses can be subjected to sales tax even in states where they do not have any brick-and-mortar operations. The case, South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., overturns longstanding precedent requiring “physical presence” to subject a seller to state sales tax, representing a big change for…

Congress Saves Consumer Arbitration

Oct 25, 2017

Congress Saves Consumer Arbitration

In July 2017, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (“CPFB”) announced a new rule broadly barring arbitration provisions in a wide swath of consumer contracts.  See 12 CFR part 1040.  To go into effect next Spring, the final rule would have prohibited providers of certain consumer financial products and services from using an agreement with…

A Giant Demanding Piece of … Restrictiveness: Do you need to pay attention to the coming GDPR?

Aug 28, 2017

A Giant Demanding Piece of … Restrictiveness: Do you need to pay attention to the coming GDPR?

GDPR. If you see those letters and think it is an acronym for Gosh Darned Pain in the Rear (or an edgier equivalent) you are in large-part correct.  But if you don’t know any more than that, and you are a company with any ties to Europe, then you need to read further. GDPR, the…

You Can’t Handle the Truth! … in Consumer Contract, Warranty and Notice Act

Oct 27, 2016

You Can’t Handle the Truth! … in Consumer Contract, Warranty and Notice Act

As Halloween has people thinking of ghosts and ghouls, creative plaintiffs’ attorneys have turned an arcane New Jersey law into a true source of fright for virtually anybody who offers services that are even potentially available within the Garden State. The law at issue is the New Jersey Truth in Consumer Contract, Warranty, and Notice…