What do ransomware, Yelp, and website tracking technologies all have in common? They are troubling areas of concern for HIPAA covered entities and business associates, according to one official from the federal Office for Civil Rights (OCR) which enforces the HIPAA privacy and security rules. Recently, the Executive Editor of Information Security Media Group’s (ISMG’s)
Data Privacy
ChatGPT and HIPAA, Caution is Needed, Even ChatGPT Says So!
Recently, things may have sped up a little in your doctor’s office. The notes for your recent visit may have been organized and filed a little more quickly. You might have received assistance sooner than expected with a physician letter to your carrier concerning a claim. You also may have received copies of those medical…
HHS and FTC Send Joint Letter to 130 Hospital Systems, Telehealth Providers Re: Tracking Technologies
The Department of Health and Human Services and the Federal Trade Commission have sent a joint letter to approximately 130 hospital systems and telehealth providers to emphasize the risks and concerns about the use of technologies, such as the Meta/Facebook pixel and Google Analytics, that can track a user’s online activities. We have summarized each…
California Superior Court Put the Brakes on Enforcement of California Privacy Rights Act
In March 2023, the California Chamber of Commerce filed a Petition for Writ of Mandate and Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief against the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA), the agency tasked with implementation and enforcement of the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) which amended the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
The writ sought to…
Nevada’s Governor Signs Health Data Privacy Act
On June 16, 2023, Nevada’s Governor signed Senate Bill (SB) 370, which enacts certain protections for consumer health data.
The law is similar to Washington’s My Health, My Data Act, which was passed in April. The Future of Privacy Forum prepared a useful chart comparing the Washington and Nevada laws.
Nevada’s law…
Increase in In-House Oversight of Privacy
The Association of Corporate Counsel and Major, Lindsey & Africa recently released their 2023 Law Department Management Benchmarking Report (Report) which tracks key trends in law department financial and operational data.
Unsurprising, as there has been an increase in privacy regulation across the country with several states passing comprehensive privacy legislation in 2023, privacy compliance…
Data Protection Update: Q3 Noteworthy Dates
FTC Safeguards Law (and Car Dealerships)
June 9th marked the deadline for financial institutions, including certain non-banking institutions that collect or maintain sensitive customer information (e.g., car dealerships), to implement a comprehensive information security program to comply with the Federal Trade Commission’s updated Safeguards Rule. For additional information, see our post: Reminder: The …
Washington State’s My Health, My Data Act Sent to Governor
Since the privacy and security regulations were issued under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), critics pointed to the limitations on the reach of those rules. A critical limitation advanced by privacy advocates is that the popular health data privacy rule extends only to certain covered entities and their business associates, not…

Data Protection Update: Q2 2023
As we round the corner into the second quarter of 2023, the following enforcement dates for new or amended state data protection laws are quickly approaching.

ChatGPT, Generative AI…Concerns For Politics, and the Workplace
Last week, a New York Times’ article discussed ChatGPT and AI’s “democratization of disinformation,” along with their potentially disruptive effects on upcoming political contests. Asking a chatbot powered by generative AI to produce a fundraising email is not the main concern, according to the article. Leveraging that technology to create and disseminate disinformation and deepfakes…