Seyfarth Synopsis: In a significant decision for website operators, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court clarified that tracking users’ web activity does not constitute illegal wiretapping under the state’s Wiretap Act. The court found that person-to-website interactions fall outside the Act’s scope, which focuses on person-to-person communications. However, the court emphasized that other privacy laws could still apply to such tracking practices. This ruling may influence how similar cases proceed nationwide and signals to the Massachusetts legislature that any broader restrictions on web tracking require explicit statutory action.Continue Reading Tracking Users’ Web Browsing Activity Does Not Constitute Illegal Wiretapping under Massachusetts Law
Litigation
Is the Video Privacy Protection Act Losing its Allure?
By Kristine Argentine on
Posted in Consumer Privacy, Litigation
This blog has been cross-posted on the Consumer Class Defense site.
Anyone following trends in consumer class action litigation will know that consumer privacy was a primary focus of the plaintiff’s bar in 2023. And there are no signs this uptick in consumer privacy claims is slowing any time soon. Although the claims center around use of tracking technology or analytics functions on consumer facing websites, several different statutes and claims have been asserted, including violations of state wiretap statutes and the Video Privacy Protection Act (“VPPA”).
Although these cases are largely at the motion to dismiss stage, and therefore there is little insight into how certain key defenses will play out, some recent decisions surrounding VPPA claims have shifted the landscape in certain defendant’s favor.Continue Reading Is the Video Privacy Protection Act Losing its Allure?
Upcoming Webinar! BIPA (and GIPA!) Litigation and Compliance Updates
By Ada Dolph & Danielle Kays on
Posted in Employment, Litigation
Tuesday, September 12, 2023
2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern
1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Central
12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mountain
11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Pacific
In the wake of recent, controversial Illinois Supreme Court decisions regarding BIPA claims, this webinar explores the implications of these decisions and what’s next on…
Post-Pandemic Litigation Webinar Series
From court closures and the way judges conduct appearances and trials to the expected wave of lawsuits across a multitude of areas and industries, the COVID-19 outbreak is having a notable impact in the litigation space—and is expected to for quite some time.
To help navigate the litigation landscape, we are kicking off a webinar…