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Cal. High Court Softens Draconian Arbitration Fee Rule
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August 19, 2025
Cal. High Court Softens Draconian Arbitration Fee Rule
By: Robert Ward
California law has often tested just how much room the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) leaves for states to regulate consumer arbitration agreements. Last week, in Hohenshelt v. Superior Court,[1] the California Supreme Court determined that at least one claimant-favoring provision of the California Arbitration Act (CAA), California Code of Civil Procedure § 1281.98 comes close to, but does not cross, that line. At the same time, to avoid preemption, the court offered businesses some relief from the unforgiving interpretation applied by many California courts. Section 1281.98 requires the party who drafts an arbitration agreement—in the consumer context, the company—to pay all required fees within thirty days of receiving the arbitration provider’s invoice.[2] If the company fails to pay the fees…
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Ready, Set, Go: More States Adopt Privacy Laws
July 30, 2025
Ready, Set, Go: More States Adopt Privacy Laws
By: Nicole Kardell
Note the below chart was updated on July 24, 2025 to reflect recent developments. The number of U.S. states that have adopted privacy laws grows regularly. Fortunately, there seems to be quite a bit of crossover, at least when it comes to thresholds that companies must meet in order to trigger compliance requirements. We provide below a chart that summarizes these thresholds by state, including…
Fame, FTC, and Fine Print: Navigating Advertising Rules in an Evolving Landscape
May 12, 2025
Fame, FTC, and Fine Print: Navigating Advertising Rules in an Evolving Landscape
By: Abbey Block
Ryan Seacrest is most well-known for his role as the charismatic host of popular television shows like American Idol and Wheel of Fortune. But more recently, Seacrest has taken on a new business venture, becoming the spokesperson for the social casino platform, Chumba Casino. Chumba Casino, launched in 2012, allows players to engage in online casino-style games. Seacrest began his partnership with the brand in…
Pump The Brakes or Step on the Gas? An Analysis of Emerging AI Regulatory Frameworks
April 6, 2023
Pump The Brakes or Step on the Gas? An Analysis of Emerging AI Regulatory Frameworks
By: Abbey Block
Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) is growing exponentially and has infiltrated nearly every sector of society. Despite the technology’s growth, the US has yet to pass comprehensive federal legislation addressing its use, commercialization, and development. Although several states such as New York, Maryland, and Washington have implemented their own regulations, no such supervisory scheme has been broadly implemented on the federal level. In response to the largely…
A Review of Top-Rated AI Tech Companies Undermines the FTC’s Warning of Deception
March 22, 2023
A Review of Top-Rated AI Tech Companies Undermines the FTC’s Warning of Deception
By: Abbey Block
Artificial intelligence (“AI”) was once thought of as science fiction – something we could only see on a movie screen or read about in a comic book. But in recent years, the technology has become both accessible and popular, proliferating nearly every sector of society. From healthcare to the legal industry, AI technology has been praised for its…
Former Uber Security Chief Convicted of Federal Charges Stemming From 2016 Extortionate Data Breach
October 28, 2022
Former Uber Security Chief Convicted of Federal Charges Stemming From 2016 Extortionate Data Breach
By: Michelle Cohen
Uber’s former Chief Security Officer, Joe Sullivan, was convicted of two federal charges—obstruction of justice and misprision of a felony—for his role in covering up an extortionate data breach in 2016, which compromised more than 50 million personal records of Uber drivers and passengers, while the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) was probing Uber’s privacy protections. The San Francisco jury’s verdict marks a stunning development in…
New California Law Establishes Broad Protections for Children’s Online Privacy – Exceeding Federal Requirements
October 4, 2022
New California Law Establishes Broad Protections for Children’s Online Privacy – Exceeding Federal Requirements
By: Jake Gray
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 (“the Act“) into law. The legislation, which was passed by…
The FTC Weighs In: Online Services Must Be Diligent When Kids’ Privacy At Stake
March 9, 2022
The FTC Weighs In: Online Services Must Be Diligent When Kids’ Privacy At Stake
By: Nicole Kardell
WW International (f/k/a Weight Watchers) seems to be doing children a service: the company developed an online program tailored to address childhood weight issues. The program, offered by WW subsidiary Kurbo, has an app, youthful professional coaches, and many features that look promising both to attract and to retain program young subscribers. Plus, the program touts peer-reviewed published research demonstrating its success. With some 20…
