Massachusetts senators advanced a comprehensive privacy bill that includes a private right of action and Maryland-like data-minimization requirements. On Monday, the Senate side of the legislature’s joint Advanced Information Technology Committee advanced to the Ways and Means Committee a new draft of the Massachusetts Data Privacy Act (S-2516) that replaces bills by the committee’s Senate Chair Michael Moore (D), Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Creem (D) and Sen. William Driscoll (D). Some alternatives remain pending, including legislation by Sen. Barry Finegold (D), his spokesperson told Privacy Daily.
A proposed settlement has been reached in a case involving Google's alleged violation of children's privacy, according to a joint court document filed Friday.
Google's nearly $1.4 billion settlement with Texas solidifies the state's status as an aggressive privacy enforcer, lawyers and consumer privacy advocates said Monday. Texas announced the settlement Friday in a case involving Google's allegedly unlawful tracking and collection of users' personal information, including geolocation and biometric data (see 2505090071).
Congress should pass a federal privacy law that grants the FTC exclusive enforcement authority and doesn’t include a private right of action, Free State Foundation’s Andrew Long said Friday.
A data breach bill containing a private right of action split the Pennsylvania House Commerce Committee by political party at a livestreamed hearing Tuesday. The panel voted 14-12 to clear an amended HB-997, with Democrats voting yes and Republicans voting no.
A California Assembly committee cleared a surveillance pricing bill Tuesday that would prohibit companies from using personal data to set customized prices for consumers.
Maine should follow “where the puck’s going” on comprehensive privacy laws in the states, said the legislature's joint Judiciary Committee House Chair Amy Kuhn (D) during the panel's hearing Monday. That means adopting a bill, like Kuhn’s LD-1822, based on data minimization rather than notice and consent, she said. However, two alternative Maine privacy bills would follow the approach included in state privacy laws prior to Maryland’s comprehensive law.
Lobbying numbers show the tech industry backed up its public support for the Take It Down Act with Q1 2025 spending focused in part on the deepfake porn bill.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) signed a bill (SB-126) Monday that clarifies and delays the state’s laws protecting the privacy of judges and law enforcement.
Louisiana lawmakers lambasted videogame industry opposition Monday to a bill creating a duty of care for online platforms with minor users. At a livestreamed hearing, the state’s House Civil Law Committee voted unanimously by voice to clear HB-37 with amendments. At a separate hearing, the House Commerce Committee decided to wait for a week to vote on an app store age-verification bill (HB-570) to allow for more negotiation with tech companies.