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CEB Prac. Guide § 10A.68 -- Private Right of Action for Data Breach

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California Privacy Amendments

by Genevieve R. Walser-Jolly |

On October 6, 2021, Governor Newsom signed several new bills into law: AB 1391 Adds section 1724 to the Civil Code and makes it unlawful for anyone to sell or sell access to data that was unlawfully obtained.  Similarly, it is unlawful for anyone to buy or use data that they know, or should know, was unlawfully obtained. AB 694 … Read More

CCPA’s Private Right of Action Is Not Retroactive

by Genevieve R. Walser-Jolly |

In Walmart v. Gardiner, Judge Koh - again and for a final time - held that the CCPA was not retroactive. Plaintiff [] argues that the allegation that he discovered his PII for sale in 2019 is “clearly the result of scrivener’s error.” (Opp. at 2.) The Court’s previous Order put Plaintiff on notice that his CCPA claim could not… Read More

Distinguishing a “business” from a “service provider” under the CCPA

by Genevieve R. Walser-Jolly |

In Karter v. Epiq Systems, Inc., et al., Judge Carney denied Epiq's Motion to Dismiss the CCPA cause of action. For two reasons, the Court found that Plaintiff sufficiently alleged Epiq is a "business" under the CCPA and therefore, subject to the private right of action.  "First, Plaintiff alleges that in order to perform its services, which it performs pursuant to… Read More

District Court (Cal.) Confirms CCPA’s Private Right of Action Is Not Retroactive

by Scott J. Hyman |

In Gardiner v. Walmart Judge Koh held that the CCPA was not retroactive. The CCPA went into effect on January 1, 2020, and it does not contain an express retroactivity provision. See Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.198 (providing the CCPA “shall be operative January 1, 2020); see also Cal. Civ. Code § 3 (“[n]o part of [this Code] is retroactive, unless expressly so declared.”). Moreover,… Read More

Ambiguity in the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Undermine Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss Based on Article III Standing. Without Sensitive Information at Issue, Plaintiff Cannot Move Forward With an Intrusion on Seclusion Claim.

by Genevieve R. Walser-Jolly |

On February 2, 2021, Judge Susan Van Keulen, in the Northern District of California, denied in part and granted in part Defendant's Motion to Dismiss.  Flores-Mendez et al v. Zoosk, Inc. et al. (N.D. CA; 3:20-cv-04929-WHA). Evaluating Article III standing based on Plaintiff's consent to Defendant's online privacy policy and terms of use, the Court held that: [i]f “the contract language… Read More

District Court (Cal.) says Plaintiffs are Entitled to Discovery on German Defendant’s Claim re Lack of Personal Jurisdiction. Under a Negligence Claim, the Sensitive Nature of Data Held By A Dating App Carried Plaintiffs over the Pleading Threshold for a Duty of Care and the Fact that the Breach Occurred was Sufficient to Plead the Element of Breach.

by Genevieve R. Walser-Jolly |

On January 28, 2021, Judge Alsup, in the Northern District of California, denied in part and granted in part Defendants' Motion to Dismiss.  Flores-Mendez et al v. Zoosk, Inc. et al. (N.D. CA; 3:20-cv-04929-WHA). Zoosk, a dating app, is a subsidiary of Spark.  Spark's principal place of business is in Berlin.  Spark filed a 12(b)(2) motion challenging the Court's personal… Read More

Severson & Werson Attorneys Publish a Litigator’s Look at What Constitutes a “Reasonable Security Procedure” Under the California Consumer Privacy Act

by Elizabeth C. Farrell |

The CCPA went live on January 1, 2020, creating a cause of action and potential liability of between $100 to $750 per person for a data breach deriving from a business' failure to maintain reasonable policies and procedures.  Unfortunately, the CCPA does not define the term "reasonable".  While compliance lawyers and consultants properly have been advising their clients to shore… Read More