Libbie Canter and Rebecca Yergin of Covington and Burling write: [On] October 1, the Protecting DNA Privacy Act (HB 833), a new genetic privacy law, went into effect in the state of Florida establishing four new crimes related to the unlawful use of another person’s DNA. While the criminal penalties in HB 833 are notable,…
Category: U.S.
New Records Reveal Scope of DEA Spying on 2020 Racial Justice Protests
Rebecca Jacobs and Hajar Hammado (CREW) write: The Drug Enforcement Administration approved at least 51 requests from state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies to conduct covert surveillance during racial justice protests last summer, according to records obtained by CREW. The nationwide surveillance operation occurred in cities including Los Angeles, Tampa, Denver, and St. Louis, and involved agents…
Legal Implications of Facebook Hearing for Whistleblowers & Employers – Privacy Issues on Many Levels
Rachel Popa, Jessica Scheck, and Chandler Ford write: On Sunday, October 3rd, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen publicly revealed her identity on the CBS television show 60 Minutes. Formerly a member of Facebook’s civic misinformation team, she previously reported them to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a variety of concerning business practices, including lying to investors and amplifying the…
In U.S. v Wilson, the Ninth Circuit Reaffirms Fourth Amendment Protection for Electronic Communications
Jennifer Lynch writes: In a powerful new ruling for digital privacy rights, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has confirmed that the police need to get a warrant before they open your email attachments—even if a third party’s automated system has flagged those attachments as potentially illegal. We filed an amicus brief in the case. How We Got Here…