Theodore J. Kobus III reminds businesses that trolling lawyers are looking for opportunities to file class-action lawsuits where statutory damages are available without any showing of harm:
Privacy class action litigation is hot in California and a new wave of lawsuits are being filed under California’s 2003 “Shine the Light” law, codified in Cal. Civ. Code Section 1798.83.
This privacy law affects most businesses with as few as 20 employees and allows individuals to learn about how a business sells and shares their personal information. Companies that do business with California residents must either allow their customers an opportunity to opt out (without charge) of having their information shared, or the company must make a detailed disclosure of how personal information was shared in the past calendar year for direct marketing purposes. For businesses without a storefront operation, there may be additional requirements for disclosing the business’s privacy policy, including a detailed posting on its website.
Read more on Baker Hostetler Data Privacy Monitor.