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
privacy safe harbors
Obama Signs Judicial Redress Act—Will It Move EU–U.S. Privacy Shield Forward?



President Barack Obama signed the Judicial Redress Act on Wednesday, February 24, 2016, which will eventually enable European Union citizens to seek remedies for alleged privacy violations by the federal government in U.S. courts. The Act gives the U.S. Department of…
Life After the U.S.–EU Safe Harbor


We’ve written about the ground-breaking and panic-inducing ruling of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) invalidating the U.S.–EU Safe Harbor framework as an adequate data transfer mechanism, and ruling that national authorities are not bound by Commission approvals. Click here for our September 23, 2015 blog post, and here for a related October 16, 2015…
Article 29 WP Says Safe Harbor Transfers Illegal; Model Clauses and BCRs Under Review


The Article 29 Working Party (WP) issued a press release on October 16, 2015 announcing the outcome of the meeting to discuss coordinated action after the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) decision in the matter of Schrems v. Data Protection Commissioner (C-362-14), which invalidated the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor Agreement. While calling for…
EU Official Calls for Invalidation of EU–U.S. Safe Harbor Pact


A European Court of Justice (ECJ) advocate general, Yves Bot, has called for the European Union–U.S. Safe Harbor Agreement to be invalidated due to concerns over U.S. surveillance practices (press release here, opinion here). The ECJ has discretion to reject the recommendation, but such opinions are generally followed. A final decision on the…
Unlucky 13: FTC Settles Charges under International Safe Harbor Framework


Thirteen companies have agreed to settle with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges relating to their participation in the U.S.–EU and U.S.–Swiss Safe Harbor Frameworks. Seven companies allegedly failed to renew their Safe Harbor self-certifications, including a sports marketing firm, two software developers, a research organization, a business information firm, a security consulting firm, and…
COPPA Year In Review: Winners and Losers

Since new requirements under the updated Children’s Online Privacy and Protection Act (COPPA) entered into force in July, 2013, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has moved into an active enforcement phase, while also fielding requests to recognize new parental consent methods and safe harbor programs. Those interested in children’s online activities can draw some important…