On March 26, 2024, the French data protection authority (the “CNIL”) published the 2024 edition of its Practice Guide for the Security of Personal Data (the “Guide”). The Guide is intended to support organizations in their efforts to implement adequate security measures in compliance with their obligations under Article 32 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation. In particular, the Guide targets DPOs, CISOs, computer scientists and privacy lawyers.
Continue Reading CNIL Publishes Latest Edition of Its Practice Guide for the Security of Personal DataOFAC Settlement Illustrates Sanctions Compliance Risks for Foreign Asset Managers Trading U.S. Securities
Hunton Andrews Kurth released a client alert on the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) settlement with EFG International AG. On March 14, 2024, OFAC announced a settlement (the “Settlement”) with EFG International AG, a global private banking group based in Switzerland with many global subsidiaries (collectively, the “Manager”) regarding violations of OFAC rules alleged to have occurred as a result of the Manager’s buying, selling and, in many cases, merely holding, U.S. securities on behalf of persons sanctioned by OFAC.
Continue Reading OFAC Settlement Illustrates Sanctions Compliance Risks for Foreign Asset Managers Trading U.S. SecuritiesNew Era of Regulation for Cross-Border Transfers in China
On March 22, 2024, the Cyberspace Administration of China (the “CAC”) issued the Provisions on Facilitation and Regulation of Cross-Border Data Flows (the “Provisions”), which were effective the same day. The CAC also held a press conference to introduce and explain the Provisions. The Provisions demonstrate that the regulation of cross-border transfers in China is focused on important data and critical information infrastructure operators (“CIIO”), and that the CAC aims to optimize business environment, stabilize foreign investment, and support the data flow between global companies with a Chinese presence.
Continue Reading New Era of Regulation for Cross-Border Transfers in ChinaUtah Enacts Amendments to State Breach Notification Law
On March 19, 2024, Utah’s Governor Spencer J. Cox signed Senate Bill (SB) 98 (the “Bill”), Online Data Security and Privacy Amendments, into law. The Bill amends the Protection of Personal Information Act (§13-44-101 et seq) and the Utah Technology Governance Act in the Utah Government Operations Code (§63A-16-1101 et seq). The Utah Technology Governance Act had previously established the Utah Cyber Center, a state initiative to coordinate efforts between local, state and federal resources by sharing threat intelligence and best practices.
Continue Reading Utah Enacts Amendments to State Breach Notification LawVirginia Legislature Passes Children’s Privacy Bill
On March 1, 2024, the Virginia legislature passed S.B. 361 (the “Bill”), which amends the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act to introduce new protections for children’s privacy. If signed by the Virginia Governor, the new children’s privacy protections will go into effect on January 1, 2025.
Continue Reading Virginia Legislature Passes Children’s Privacy BillHouse Passes the Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act
On March 20, 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that will prohibit data brokers from transferring U.S. residents’ sensitive personal data to foreign adversaries, including China and Russia. The House bill HR 7520 (the “Bill”), also known as the Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024, marks a significant development in executive and legislative action related to foreign access to U.S. data. The Bill follows a similarly groundbreaking Executive Order and Department of Justice Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued at the end of February that will establish strict protective measures against data exploitation by countries considered national security threats for U.S. sensitive personal data and U.S. government-related data. The Bill also comes after the House overwhelmingly passed HR 7521, (the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act) resulting from concerns that the Chinese government would compel TikTok (or other foreign adversary-controlled apps) to turn over U.S. data. HR 7521 would effectively require TikTok to divest from parent company ByteDance in order to avoid a ban in the U.S.
Continue Reading House Passes the Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries ActFTC Proposes $26 Million Penalty for Deceptive Marketing
After potential warning signs spanning several years, on March 14, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission brought an enforcement action against two entities selling virus protection software to consumers via online and telemarketing sales. According to the FTC’s complaint, for several years the entities, Restoro Cyprus Limited and Reimage Cyprus Limited, received excessive chargebacks on purchases, numerous consumer complaints made directly to the entities, and various indirect consumer complaints made to vendors, telecoms service providers and others.
Continue Reading FTC Proposes $26 Million Penalty for Deceptive MarketingCIPL Files Response to FTC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the COPPA Rule
On March 8, 2024, the Centre for Information Policy Leadership at Hunton Andrews Kurth (“CIPL”) filed its response to the Federal Trade Commission’s notice of proposed rulemaking (“NPRM”), which addresses amendments to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (“COPPA Rule”).
Continue Reading CIPL Files Response to FTC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the COPPA RuleUtah Governor Signs Spate of Privacy Bills into Law
Last week, Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox signed three privacy-related bills into law. The bills are focused on, respectively, protection of motor vehicle consumer data, regulations on social media companies with respect to minors, and access to protected health information by third parties. The Utah legislature appears to be focused on data-related legislation this session, as Governor Cox signed two other bills related to AI into law last week as well.
Continue Reading Utah Governor Signs Spate of Privacy Bills into LawUK ICO Publishes New Guidance on Fines
On March 18, 2024, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”) published new data protection fining guidance on how the ICO determines penalties and calculates fines. The guidance was subject to a consultation process in 2023, and covers a variety of topics and considerations relevant to penalties and fines, including:
Continue Reading UK ICO Publishes New Guidance on Fines