Author:

Crystal Lowery

Exploring COPPA through the FTC’s Complaint against TikTok

The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”) prohibits unfair or deceptive collection, use, and disclosure of the personal information of children on the internet. COPPA covers both website operators and app developers, and prevents collection of personal information without verified, written consent of parents. On February 27, 2019, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) filed a complaint in U.S. District Court against TikTok, previously known as Music.ly. The complaint alleged that Music.ly knowingly violated COPPA when it collected data from children without written consent of parents. Music.ly settled for $5,700,000.00, the largest civil penalty obtained by the FTC for violations of COPPA.

FCPA Establishes Corporate Regulation of Text Messaging Apps

On March 12, 2019, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced revisions of the Corporate Enforcement Policy in the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The changes now require company oversight of ephemeral messaging apps used by any employee, stock holder, or agent who discusses business records via the messaging platform. Publicly traded companies must now establish internal compliance policies to review use of ephemeral messaging services, provide ongoing oversight of the messaging services, and may want to completely prohibit the use of such messaging apps for business purposes.

The Value of Privacy: How Facebook Paid for Access to the Personal Data of Teens and Adults

On January 29, 2019, TechCrunch released an investigation finding that Facebook had been paying users as young as 13 for unlimited access to their data. Facebook marketed the application, not available through the iOS app store, to users aged 13-to-35 by offering to pay $20 per month plus referral fees for downloading and using a “Facebook Research” app. The app, once downloaded, provided Facebook with unrestricted access to all private data on the users iPhone including messages, photos and videos, and website usage. This was not the first app launched by Facebook to track user’s data, Apple removed a similar app called Onavo from the app store in 2018. This app is a clear violation of the 2011 consent decree Facebook signed with the Federal Trade Commission.

EU Copyright in the Internet Age

On September 12, 2018, the European Parliament approved amendments to the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market, commonly known as the EU Copyright Directive (the “Directive”). The amendments primarily cover copyright protection over internet resources. There are two parts of the Directive that have caused concern: Articles 11 and 13. Article 11, also referred to as the “link tax,” provides publishers with a method to collect revenue from news content shared online. Article 13, also referred to as the “upload filter,” holds Internet platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, liable for copyright infringement committed by users. Together, large and small platform providers that would have to comply with these new regulations have declared that the enactment of these articles places a heavier burden on service providers. Critics of these amendments also say the requirements are likely to lead to increased taxation and more lawsuits. The final vote on the directive is scheduled for January 2019.

GDPR Enforcement Notice to AggregateIQ

On July 6, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) issued their first Enforcement Notice to AggregateIQ (AIQ) under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the United Kingdom’s Data Protection Act (DPA). The GDPR is a law regulating data protection and privacy as well as the export of personal data outside of the European Union (EU). It became enforceable on May 25, 2018. The DPA supplements the GDPR and regulates the processing of personal data. The ICO is a regulatory office in the UK which enforces regulations under the DPA and GDPR. AIQ is a Canadian digital advertising, web and software development company that was charged with violations regarding the use of data analytics in political campaigning. This article will address the AIQ enforcement notice and how companies ensure compliance with the GDPR to prevent receipt of an enforcement notice.

How “Bring Your Own Device” Policies Increase Privacy Concerns

With the increased integration of laptops, cellphones, and tablets in both work and personal life, many companies have started adopting a “bring your own device” (BYOD) policy into employment protocols. BYOD policies allow employees to use their personal device for work, removing the need for employers to provide work devices. Although BYOD policies allow for easy transition from home to work, they increase security risks for employers. BYOD policies create differing advantages and disadvantages for employees and employers; thus, it is important that they are carefully assessed before implementation. If a BYOD policy is adopted, strict regulation and oversight of company policies and procedures is required.