Privacy Laws
California AB 1709 Bars Addictive Features for Users Under 16
California AB 1709, approved September 10, 2026 and chaptered as Chapter 183, bars addictive features for California users under 16 starting January 1, 2027.
17 min read
Privacy Laws News
The latest legal news and analysis on privacy laws.
40 articles
Privacy Laws
ACLU Sues Concord NH Housing Authority Over In-Unit Sensors
ACLU sues a NH housing authority over sensors installed in roughly 300 public housing units. What the newly filed complaint alleges and what state law says.
13 min read
Privacy Laws
California Court Splits on Hospital Tracking Pixel Class Ruling
Doe v. Adventist Health System/West, published August 24, 2026, affirms part and reverses part of a CIPA and CMIA class certification denial.
15 min read
Privacy Laws
SB 690 Passes California Legislature: What the CIPA Bill Changes
California SB 690 has passed the Legislature but is not law. See what the CIPA pen-register bill would change, its current status, and the Governor deadline.
9 min read
Privacy Laws
Sixth Circuit Revives NetChoice Challenge to Tennessee Law
The Sixth Circuit vacated denial of an injunction against Tennessee's social media age verification law but did not rule on the First Amendment merits.
9 min read
Privacy Laws
Federal Judge Upholds New York's Social Media Disclosure Law
A federal district court dismissed X Corp.'s challenge to New York's social media disclosure law, finding it survives First Amendment and Section 230 review.
9 min read
Privacy Laws
Ninth Circuit: Section 230 Is a Defense, Not Immunity From Suit
The Ninth Circuit ruled on August 10, 2026 that Section 230 is a defense to liability, not immunity from suit, so it cannot block an immediate appeal and the social media addiction lawsuits proceed.
6 min read
Privacy Laws
FTC Sues Hims & Hers Over Billing, Cancellations, and Data Sharing
The FTC, Utah, and LA County sued Hims & Hers on July 29, 2026, alleging deceptive billing, buried cancellations, and health data shared with Meta and Snap.
7 min read
Privacy Laws
Serial CIPA Website-Wiretap Filer Declared a Vexatious Litigant
A federal judge declared prolific plaintiff Vivek Shah a vexatious litigant on July 20, 2026, barring new CIPA website-wiretapping suits in the Central District of California without leave of court.
6 min read
Privacy Laws
California Pixel-Wiretap Rulings Split the Same Week: Blue Shield Claim Dismissed, BlueChew Claims Advance
Two N.D. Cal. rulings in July 2026 split on website tracking-pixel wiretap claims: the federal Wiretap Act claim against Blue Shield was dismissed with leave to amend, while state wiretap claims against Google and Meta over BlueChew trackers advanced.
7 min read
Privacy Laws
Capital Health $4.5M Data Breach Settlement Gets Final Approval; Payments Next
A federal judge granted final approval on July 14, 2026 to the $4.5M Capital Health data breach settlement. The claim window closed April 6, 2026; approved payments follow after appeals.
5 min read
Privacy Laws
Seventh Circuit Rules TCPA Text Messages Are Not Telephone Calls Under Do-Not-Call Law
The Seventh Circuit ruled TCPA text messages are not telephone calls under Do-Not-Call law, creating a circuit split with the Ninth Circuit's Howard ruling.
10 min read
Privacy Laws
23andMe Pays $18 Million to 42 State Attorneys General Over Its Genetic Data Breach
A coalition of 42 state attorneys general secured an $18 million settlement with 23andMe over its 2023 genetic data breach. The money goes to the states, not a new consumer payout.
5 min read
Privacy Laws
Supreme Court Declines to Block Texas App Store Age Verification Law (SB 2420)
SCOTUS denied emergency bids to block Texas's SB 2420 app store age verification law on July 6, 2026. The merits are undecided; Fifth Circuit review is next.
8 min read
Privacy Laws
Virginia's Facial Recognition Rules for Local Police Expired on July 1, 2026
Virginia's 2022 facial recognition framework for local and campus police expired July 1, 2026. Agencies are back under the 2021 ban on purchasing or deploying FRT without express statutory authorization.
10 min read
Privacy Laws
Federal Judge Blocks Nebraska's Social Media Age-Verification Law on First Amendment Grounds
A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction on June 27, 2026 blocking Nebraska's LB 383 social media age-verification and parental-consent mandates on First Amendment grounds.
8 min read
Privacy Laws
Supreme Court Rules Geofence Warrants Are a Fourth Amendment Search (Chatrie v. United States)
The Supreme Court held 6-3 on June 29, 2026 that a geofence warrant is a Fourth Amendment search. Chatrie v. United States (No. 25-112) extends Carpenter to phone location data.
7 min read
Privacy Laws
Sixth Circuit Revives Ohio's Parental-Consent Social Media Law (2026)
A divided Sixth Circuit revived Ohio's parental-consent social media law on June 18, 2026 and held NetChoice has no standing to assert minors' rights.
12 min read
Privacy Laws
Vermont Enacts H.816 Restricting AI Mental Health Therapy (2026)
Vermont signed H.816 on June 17, 2026, barring AI-delivered mental health therapy. Diagnosis and treatment are reserved for qualified professionals.
7 min read
Privacy Laws
Florida Sues TikTok Under HB3 Social Media Minors Law (2026)
Florida AG James Uthmeier sued TikTok on June 15, 2026 under HB3, Florida's social media minors law, seeking a public-nuisance ruling and per-violation penalties.
7 min read
Privacy Laws
FISA Section 702 Lapses for the First Time After House Vote (2026)
FISA Section 702 lapsed June 12, 2026 after the House rejected an extension 198 to 218. Why warrantless surveillance continues anyway, and what 50 U.S.C. 1881a does.
8 min read
Privacy Laws
Vermont H.211 Data Broker Overhaul Heads to the Governor (2026)
Vermont H.211 passed the legislature May 29, 2026 and awaits Gov. Phil Scott. What the data broker overhaul would do, and what it would not, if signed.
7 min read
Privacy Laws
23andMe Data Breach Settlement Approved: $46.75 Million Final Order Explained
A bankruptcy judge approved the $46.75M 23andMe data breach settlement on July 6, 2026. Here is what the payout tiers mean and how distribution works.
6 min read
Privacy Laws
Florida Man Sues Police Over Facial Recognition Arrest (2026)
The ACLU alleges Florida police wrongly arrested Robert Dillon on a 93% facial recognition match. What the June 2026 lawsuit claims and what the law requires.
7 min read