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Cynthia Cole

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It would be an understatement to say that generative AI is taking the business world by storm. Companies are racing to find ways to integrate AI into their daily processes, and software companies are no exception. Generative AI has demonstrated a high level of compatibility with day to day software development tasks, especially those processes that are more routine. CEOs of some of the biggest tech companies in the world have even expressed that junior…

On January 18, 2024, the New Hampshire legislature passed SB255, making the Granite State the 14th US state to pass a consumer privacy law—and the second state to do so in January. Following enrolment—a formality to excise clerical errors—the bill will move to Governor Chris Sununu’s desk for final enactment. If it becomes law, SB255 will go into effect on January 1, 2025, giving businesses less than one year to ensure compliance with the new…

28 January 2024 is Data Protection Day (or Data Privacy Day outside of Europe), which marks the anniversary of the Council of Europe’s Convention 108. Data Privacy Day encourages the global community to think about the importance of respecting privacy, safeguarding data, and enabling trust. In an increasingly connected and digitized world, where data protection, privacy and cybersecurity regulation are rapidly evolving, the work of the global data community is more vital, and more challenging,…

Sending a clear message, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced the settlement of two separate enforcement actions against data brokers for selling precise location data that may be used to reveal sensitive information. On January 9, the FTC settled with Outlogic, LLC (formerly X-Mode Social) over allegations that it failed to obtain meaningful consent from consumers before collecting and selling data that could be used to track visits to sensitive locations like clinics and places of…

New Jersey is the 13th US State to Pass Comprehensive Consumer Privacy Legislation Consistent with our prediction that 2024 will bring a significant crop of new state consumer privacy laws, the New Jersey legislature recently became the 13th state to pass a comprehensive privacy statute. On January 8—the final day of its 2022-2023 legislative session—the Senate passed bill S332. Once enacted—either with Governor Phil Murphy signing the bill or after 45 days if he takes…

On December 21, 2023 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued updates to its Data Breach Notification Rule, which applies to telecommunications carriers, as well as to voice over internet protocol (VoIP) and telecommunications relay service (TRS) providers. The updated Data Breach Notification Rule marks the most significant changes to the Rule since its adoption 16 years ago and modernizes the FCC requirements by bringing them more closely in line with other breach reporting obligations. The…

This past year brought the rapid rise of ChatGPT and other generative AI platforms, accompanied by several noteworthy legal and regulatory developments. 2024 promises to continue with technology advances, making it a pivotal year for businesses navigating global data privacy and cybersecurity risks. Our Baker McKenzie Top 10 predictions for 2024 follow. AI-enhanced cyber threats will increase globally. Threat actors will continue to leverage AI for increasingly sophisticated attacks, exploiting new technologies to enable highly-personalized…

The California Privacy Protection Agency (“CPPA”) held a public board meeting on December 8, 2023. As discussed in our previous article, the CPPA is in the process of preparing Draft Regulations on Cybersecurity Audits, Risk Assessments and Automated Decision-Making Technology. The Rules Subcommittee provided updates on these regulations, and Board members provided their feedback on the drafts. Key Takeaways Regarding CCPA Cybersecurity Audit Regulations The Cybersecurity Audit Regulations would require businesses “whose processing of consumers’…

Effective Nov. 1, the New York State Department of Financial Services has strengthened cybersecurity requirements for financial services companies. All companies should take account of these amendments, as these NYDFS regulations are increasingly referenced as key benchmarks for cybersecurity compliance programs. New York’s Department of Financial Services finalized significant amendments to the cybersecurity requirements for financial services companies in Part 500 of Title 23 of the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules and Regulations of the…

In a shocking show of gumption, a ransomware gang has reportedly not only hacked a US public company’s (MeridianLink) IT systems, but also filed a complaint on the SEC’s Tips, Complaints, and Referrals page, regarding Meridian Link’s claimed failure to disclose the incident in an 8-K in violation of the SEC’s new cybersecurity rules. Even though public companies are not yet required to comply with the new cybersecurity disclosure rules (8-K requirement goes effective on…