In the first legal challenge to Internet filtering practices enacted by relatively few libraries, the Washington Supreme Court is weighing whether the North Central Regional Library (NCRL), Wenatchee, can refuse to turn off filters at the request of adult patrons seeking constitutionally protected material. At issue in Bradburn v. North Central Regional Library, which was the…
Category: Court
Lawsuit fans flames of N.J. debate on adoption privacy
In New Jersey adoption circles, the right to privacy versus the need for an identity isn’t just an explosive issue of the moment: It’s been a painful, simmering fire for both sides for almost 30 years. […] Last month, numerous adoptee-rights groups and individuals from as far as Wyoming and Washington state contacted the Daily…
Court: IP addresses != PII
In a ruling that could fuel debate about online privacy, a federal judge in Seattle has held that IP addresses are not personal information. “In order for ‘personally identifiable information’ to be personally identifiable, it must identify a person. But an IP address identifies a computer,” U.S. District Court Judge Richard Jones said in a…
Can your boss fire you for smoking at home?
An employer adopted a policy to hire only nonsmokers. After a new hire tested positive for nicotine, he was fired. He then sued the employer, claiming wrongful discharge and invasion of privacy. What happened. In an effort to curb medical costs and promote a healthy lifestyle, the Scotts Company in Massachusetts adopted a policy prohibiting…