Richard C. Balough Participates in ABA Data Security Panel

Richard C. Balough was one of the participants in a panel discussion on “Online Privacy & Data Security Soup to Nuts: A Primer and Update on Important Developments for the Business Lawyer.” The four-member panel shared an overview of the most important U.S. federal privacy and data security laws and regulations, the development of similar […]
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If It’s on Google Earth, It Must Be True

If Google Earth says you’re north of the border it’s not “hearsay.” The Ninth Circuit found that a “tack” placed on a Google Earth map is not hearsay because the rule applies only to out-of-court statements by persons. “Here, the relevant assertion isn’t made by a person; it’s made by the Google Earth program,” so […]
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Labor Ruling Could Jeopardize Uber’s Business Model

Uber’s business model may be in trouble if a California Labor Commission’s finding that Uber drivers are employees, not independent contractors, is followed by California courts. Uber, the ride sharing service, has maintained that it merely provides “administrative support” through a “technology platform” that “private vehicle drivers and passengers use to facilitate private transactions.” Uber […]
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McAfee Sees Dramatic Increase in Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware attacks spiked in 2015’s first quarter as new “families” of the malware have appeared. The new ransomwares have more evasive techniques to avoid detection and now also are targeting mobile platforms, McAfee Labs reports in its latest Threats Report. Ransomware programs are malicious software that encrypts data on a computer and prevent the owner […]
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FCC Warns PayPal Its New User Agreement May Violate Autodialing Law

PayPal, Inc.’s new User Agreement may violate federal laws concerning the use of autodialed, prerecorded, and artificial voice calls, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) warned. As of July 1, 2015, PayPal’s users must “consent to receive autodialed or prerecorded calls and text messages from PayPal at any telephone number that you have provided to us […]
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Doom Indeed for Crowdfunding for Board Game Project

For those participating in the crowdfunding for The Doom That Came to Atlantic City, their investment was doomed by the promoter who used the funds for himself. In its first crowdfunding case, the Federal Trade Commission reached a settlement with Erik Chevalier, d/b/a The Forking Path, Co. Under the settlement, Chevalier is prohibited from making […]
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FTC Requests Protection of RadioShack Customer Personal Information

The court handling the bankruptcy of RadioShack Corp. should place conditions on the sale of personal consumer information to honor the privacy policies of the now defunct company, the Federal Trade Commission said in a letter to the privacy ombudsman in the case. The FTC noted that RadioShack collected personal information from over 117 million […]
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Actress Can’t Force YouTube To Take Down Anti-Muslim Film

The actress who sought to have her five-second appearance in a controversial anti-Muslim movie removed from YouTube does not have a protectable copyright interest to support her request for an injunction, an en banc ruling from the Ninth Circuit found. The ruling reverses an earlier three-judge panel decision that ordered Google, Inc. to remove the […]
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Cisco Report Says Your Company’s Network Breach Is Coming

The question companies face today about the vulnerability of their data is not if their network will be comprised but rather when, the 2015 Cisco Annual Security Report finds. Security professionals say they are optimistic that they can hold back attackers, the report states. However, in the end “security is a numbers game: Even if […]
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Putting Personal Information on Parking Ticket on Window Is OK

Writing a person’s personal information on a parking ticket and leaving it face down on the vehicle’s windshield does not run afoul of the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act. Jason Senne parked his car on a village street in Palatine, Illinois.  The Village prohibits parking between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. on its streets.  Senne […]
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