In 2015, a group of non-government organizations (NGOs) filed a petition with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), asking CPSC to categorically ban additive organohalogen flame retardants (OFRs) from the market in the U.S. in many significant consumer product categories. OFRs include a very broad set of diverse chemical compounds added to consumer products
FTC Announces Date for PrivacyCon 2018 and Call for Presentations
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced that its third annual PrivacyCon will take place in Washington, D.C., on February 28, 2018. The conference will bring together researchers, academics, industry representatives, consumer advocates, and government representatives to explore an array of consumer privacy and data security issues, with a particular focus on emerging technologies, such
White House Issues New Cybersecurity Executive Order
On May 11, President Trump issued Executive Order Strengthening the Cybersecurity of Federal Networks and Critical Infrastructure, which centers on federal networks, critical infrastructure, and the nation’s overall cybersecurity. The order largely expands on cybersecurity recommendations developed during the Obama administration. The order calls for a review of vulnerabilities and preparedness by the Secretary
Are Your Security Tools Up to Date?
The effects of the massive cyberattack using ransomware known as “Wanna Cry” are still being felt all over the world. Tens of thousands of organizations have been infected, including the UK’s National Health Service, which ran some services on an emergency-only basis the day the attack began in earnest. Some security experts surmise
New Mexico Enacts Data Breach Notification Law; Tennessee Reinstates Encryption Safe Harbor
New Mexico is the 48th state to enact a data breach law. That law, the Data Breach Notification Act (HB15), is scheduled to take effect on June 16, 2017. Alabama and South Dakota are now the only states without a data breach notification law.
The New Mexico law is like other state breach notification laws
FTC Seeks Comments on Proposed Changes to TRUSTE’s COPPA Safe Harbor Program
In a Federal Register notice, the FTC has asked for comments on intended changes to TRUSTe’s existing safe harbor program under the Children Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). TRUSTe proposed the changes following its settlement earlier this month with the New York Attorney General over allegations that the compliance and security company did not
FTC Warns Influencers to be Clear About Endorsements on Social Media
Everyone who is anyone is on Instagram these days, apparently. But not all posts on the photo-sharing platform are purely organic; some result from material connections between influencer or celebrity posters and the brands or products they are endorsing. This connection is not always made clear to viewers, however, according to the Federal Trade Commission
TRUSTe Settles COPPA Safe Harbor Enforcement Action with NYAG
TRUSTe has settled allegations by the New York Attorney General that it did not adequately assess whether companies certified under its Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Safe Harbor seal program allowed third party sites to track children. TRUSTe agreed to pay $100,000 and will be required to adopt new procedures to make its COPPA
Government Agencies to be Rated on Cybersecurity Using NIST Framework
The Trump administration has announced that it will impose new metrics on federal agencies related to cybersecurity. Agencies and departments will be required to comply with the framework developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and report back to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB),
FTC Takes on “Made in the USA” Claim for Second Time This Year
“Made in the USA” is an attractive selling point for many consumers who want to support homegrown industry, so it is the topic of many advertising claims for a variety of products. But to establish that a product is American-made, manufacturers have to show all its key parts were made here. And if steel tags