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CDPI Privacy Newsletter

Categories : CDPI Privacy Newsletter

Avast fined $16.5M by FTC for privacy bait & switch

February 27, 2024
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) accused anti-virus software company, Avast of harvesting and selling the data of millions of customers. The company which promised to protect customer data, instead sold it – and now will pay a $16.5 million fine. The data was sold via company subsidiary, Jumpshot, to more than 100 third parties. Exposure included financial and location data as well as health and religious search information.
CDPI Privacy Newsletter

Biden looks to protect Americans’ data from sale to hostile countries

February 27, 2024
President Biden is expected to issue an order to prevent data brokers from selling sensitive data on Americans to ‘hostile foreign countries,’ including China, Russia and Iran. The move comes as the US still has not passed federal privacy legislation and concern has grown that advances in AI will make sensitive data, including geolocation, biometric and genomic data easier to analyze and to use for spying or blackmail.
CDPI Privacy Newsletter

Children’s Privacy: New York City sues Big Tech over kids’ mental health harms

February 27, 2024
New York City, with the largest school district in the country, has just announced a lawsuit against the companies that run Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and other major social media sites frequented by kids and teens. The claim is that the sites are “addictive and dangerous” for young people, and costly for the city which spends more than $100 million/year on youth mental health.
CDPI Privacy Newsletter

Meta “Pay” or “Okay” not okay at all say 28 EU NGOs

February 20, 2024
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) will soon determine if Meta should be allowed to continue to allow Instagram and Facebook users to pay an annual privacy fee of €251/yr. (US $270) to not be tracked. If the EDPB decides the “Pay” or “Okay” (to track) option is legitimate, many other companies are expected to follow Meta’s lead. This is being challenged by Max Schremms’ noyb and 27 other NGOs.
CDPI Privacy Newsletter

Children’s Privacy: Temporary block placed on Ohio law meant to limit minors’ access to social media

February 20, 2024
Tech industry group NetChoice has succeeded in getting a temporary block on an Ohio law meant to protect children. The law, which a federal judge has ruled unconstitutional, would require social media companies to get parental consent when children under age 16 wanted to create a new social media accounts. This is similar to blocks on laws in Arkansas and California.
CDPI Privacy Newsletter