Privacy

France Hits Apple with $162 Million Fine for Violating Privacy Laws with App Tracking Tool

by

PARIS, France — Apple Inc. has been fined $162 million by France’s competition authority, Autorité de la concurrence, over the company’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) tool introduced in 2021. The regulatory body ruled that Apple’s implementation of this privacy tool breached both French and European Union data protection laws, citing its complex consent process and biased treatment toward app publishers. The decision comes after the European Commission recently accused Apple of violating the Digital Markets Act. The timing underscores mounting scrutiny from European regulators regarding Apple’s adherence to stringent privacy and competition standards within the … Read more

New Mexico Court To Decide On Sealing Hackman Estate Records, Citing Privacy After Tragic Deaths of Actor and Wife

by

SANTA FE, N.M. – A court in New Mexico is currently deliberating on a request to prevent the release of extensive investigative records connected to the deaths of the famed actor Gene Hackman and his spouse, Betsy Arakawa. This legal appeal, put forth by the couple’s estate, aims to secure the privacy rights endowed by the constitution. Judge Matthew Wilson of Santa Fe has scheduled a hearing for Monday where the plea to withhold videos, photographs, and documents will be evaluated. In advance of this session, the court has temporarily suspended the disclosure of these … Read more

As State Privacy Laws Multiply, U.S. Retailers Confront a Complex Legal Landscape

by

WASHINGTON — As a burgeoning collection of state privacy laws looms on the horizon for retailers across the United States, a pressing need for a unified national standard becomes increasingly apparent. This patchwork of imminent regulations, varying in scope and detail from state to state, propels a legal and operational labyrinth that businesses must navigate in the absence of federal legislation, which remains stalled in Congress. Julia Tama, a prominent figure in privacy and data security legal practice, pointed out the urgency of the situation. She highlighted that without a cohesive federal framework, individual states … Read more

Federal Judge Green-lights Clearview AI Settlement, Opening Unusual Compensation Plan Amid Privacy Lawsuit

by

CHICAGO, Ill. — A settlement has been reached in a privacy rights lawsuit involving Clearview AI, where a federal judge confirmed the agreement, resolving claims that the facial recognition company illegally collected the biometric data of millions of Americans. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman upheld the arrangement, which does not concede liability on Clearview AI’s part but addresses accusations that the tech company breached Illinois’ Biometric Privacy Act by harvesting and selling facial images without consent. Judge Coleman assessed the damages arising from this case to be upwards of $50 million. However, due to … Read more