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Liisa Thomas

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Liisa Thomas, a partner based in the Chicago and London offices, is Leader of the firm's Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice Group.

In a much anticipated ruling, this month the Swiss Data Protection Authority concluded that the EU-US Swiss Privacy Shield was no longer an adequate method for transferring personal information from Switzerland to the US. In reaching this decision, the Swiss data protection authority agreed with the recent, similar, EU decision of inadequacy. Like the EU, Switzerland anticipates those transferring personal information from Switzerland to the US to rely on standard contractual clauses. However like the EU, Switzerland cautions that companies should assess “on a case-by-case basis” whether the recipient provides sufficient protection.…
Continue Reading Impact of Swiss Privacy Shield Inadequacy Decision

As the California legislature session concluded at the end of August, a significant amendment to the CCPA finally passed both houses. California bill AB-1281 passed the Senate in the last days of the month, extending the business-to-business and employee/applicant carve-outs through January 1, 2022 (as we wrote about previously). The bill now sits with Governor Newsom to sign before the end of September.…
Continue Reading CCPA Bill Extending Exemptions Passes Through California Legislature

As we wrote previously, kids are spending more of their days online and are using online platforms for virtual learning and entertainment. Much of this environment is funded through online advertising. All companies thus need to think about the impact that children’s privacy laws, like COPPA, have on the online environment, as they will see the outcomes of this applicability in their contracts.…
Continue Reading Back to School Special: But I’m Just an Ad Network! Am I Subject to Children’s Privacy Laws?

In our online world, one of the challenges (and opportunities) for companies is the increased use of their websites, apps, and connected devices. For platforms directed to both adults and children, or platforms previously directed to adults which would like to now also direct their services to children, the FTC’s recently streamlined FAQs, and ICPEN’s guide (both of which we introduced earlier this week) can help companies in this space. The information is particularly helpful for those that were aimed mostly toward adults, and are now shifting their business plans to direct products or services to children as well.…
Continue Reading Back to School Special: Is My Multi-Age Platform Subject to Child Protection Requirements?

In this remote era, companies are increasingly being approached by their business teams with ideas about products and services that involve video or audio recordings of their consumers. It may also involve letting people manipulate photos of themselves. Sometimes, those recordings and pictures are of children. Content that contain images or audio of individuals are considered personal information under many laws, including the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). What does this mean for companies? As we discussed in our previous blog post, COPPA requires obtaining parental consent if the personal information collected is being collected by the company online, and being collected from the child. The FTC’s recently streamlined FAQs help companies find and understand obligations if collecting photos or recordings from children. Namely, a reminder that this content is personal, and does require verifiable parental consent before being collected.…
Continue Reading Back to School Special: Recordings, Photos, Kids, and Parental Consent

In the current pandemic era, kids are spending more time online, be it for school or entertainment. Companies are therefore gearing up for increased interaction with children online or through connected devices. As children around the globe return to school, whatever  that return looks like, the FTC and the International Consumer Protection Enforcement Network (ICPEN) remind us that certain rules apply when dealing with kids online.…
Continue Reading Back to School Special: COPPA Consent in the COVID Era

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has issued a set of draft principles for “explainable” artificial intelligence and is accepting comments until October 15, 2020. The authors of the draft principles outline four ways that those who develop AI systems can ensure that consumers understand the decisions reached by AI systems. The four principles are:…
Continue Reading NIST Seeking Comments on Draft AI Principles

The California AG has now released the final CCPA regulations, as approved by the Office of Administrative Law (OAL).  The final draft (issued August 14, 2020) incorporates some relatively minor changes that the OAG submitted as part of its final rulemaking package, as summarized in its addendum to the final statement of reasons. In addition to generally “non-substantive” edits for consistency, etc. the OAG withdrew four sections (999.305(a)(5), 999.306(b)(2), 999.315(c), and 999.326(c)) from OAL review.…
Continue Reading CCPA Regulations Finally Approved, Effective Immediately

With the current limited exemptions under CCPA for employment and business-to-business related information set to expire January 1, 2021, there is uncertainty over when businesses should prepare to extend CCPA compliance efforts to this type of information. However, a pending amendment in the California senate, and/or the impending CPRA ballot initiative in November may bring clarity to the issue.…
Continue Reading What Will Come First: Pending CCPA Amendment Could Clarify Key Exemptions

The EDPB has provided input about consent in its recent FAQs responding to the Schrems II invalidation of Privacy Shield. As we wrote about previously in this series, Schrems II impacted how companies transfer data from the EU to the U.S..  As background, under GDPR, consent from the individual can be relied on to transfer information from the EU to an entity outside of the EU’s borders if three conditions exist. The EDPB reminded companies of these three conditions in its FAQs, drawing on prior guidance about consent:…
Continue Reading Schrems II Fallout Continued: Can Companies Rely on Consent?

Companies who transfer data from the EU to the U.S. are struggling to determine the appropriate basis under which they can make these transfers. Continuing our examination of the outcome of this decision, we think now about what companies can do for transfers of information from the EU to the U.S.…
Continue Reading EU Reaction to the Fall of Privacy Shield: The Rise of SCCs?