Mobile phones are ubiquitous extensions of our personal and professional lives and few think deeply about the tangled webs of software and hardware providers that formulate components to mobile phone fabricators. However, the Federal Trade Commission’s recent settlement with BLU Products represents an important reminder of the importance of appropriate vendor oversight in all phases of the manufacturing and sales process.
Smart Uses of Data Analytics for In-House Counsel
The effective use of data analytics is quickly changing the legal landscape and the practice of law for the better. This is a fast-changing area where today’s “use cases” will be quickly superseded by new and more powerful uses of these technologies. This post discusses key areas where in-house counsel may consider the use of data analytics either as a solely in-house measure or in connection with engagements with outside counsel.
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Continued Special Privacy Treatment for Substance Use Disorder Information
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee recently passed the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018 (OCRA) – a bipartisan package of more than 40 proposals designed to help families and entire communities affected by the nation-wide opioid crisis.
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SEC Cyber Unit Brings Groundbreaking Data Breach Case
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced its most significant case ever filed against a respondent for one of the world’s largest data breaches. Albata, Inc., f/d/b/a Yahoo! Inc., (“Yahoo”) settled with the SEC to charges of violating Section 17(a)(2) and 17 (a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 (“Securities Act”), amongst other charges, and agreed to various remedies, including a $35 million penalty.
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Head of DOJ Antitrust Division Addresses Implications of Data Privacy in the Era of Big Data
Assistant Attorney General of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Antitrust Division, Makan Delrahim recently spoke at the University of Chicago’s Antitrust and Competition Conference and discussed how U.S. antitrust law should treat “big data.” According to Delrahim, antitrust law is “flexible enough to address competition issues from emerging platforms,” including large tech companies like Google and Facebook that possess significant market share within their lines of business and simultaneously aggregate vast sums of personal data from consumers.
Senate Confirms All Five Nominees to the FTC
The Senate officially confirmed the five nominees to the Federal Trade Commission on April 26. As noted in previous blogs, Joseph Simons will become the new chairman and Joshua Phillips, Rebecca Slaughter and Rohit Chopra will join the Commission immediately.
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