A recent data breach demonstrates some relevant concerns. Last week a large marketing firm announced that numerous email addresses and possibly names and addresses of customers of some of its large clients (including banks) were compromised. Some might say email addresses: “No big deal.” Certainly, in and of themselves, email addresses probably don’t qualify as…
Read more
Have You Really Thought About the Practices You Preach?
Your Privacy Policy Could Have Serious Legal Implications How many times have you seen website terms of use or privacy policies saying something to the effect, “We use industry standard best-practice technology to guarantee your sensitive financial transactions are 100% safe and secure?” When you publish these types of statements, you potentially expose your business…
Read more
New Federal Law Prohibits “Data Passes” and “Negative Option” Marketing
New Laws Place Restrictions and Limits on After Sale Data Passes and Negative Option Marketing On December 29, 2010, President Obama signed the “Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act” into law. This new law places restrictions and limits on after sale “data passes” and “negative option” marketing through Internet sales. Senator John D. (Jay) Rockfeller, IV…
Read more
What Does the Future Hold … Less Free Content?
Do-Not-Track and Online Behavioral Advertising If you’ve been listening, you are aware of the Federal Trade Commission’s December 2010 Preliminary Staff Report: Protecting Consumer Privacy in an Era of Rapid Change. (Update: The final FTC Privacy Report has been released.) You also know the Commission has challenged providers to create “Do-Not-Track” technology allowing users to…
Read more