The ‘Long Arm’ of CIPA and Its Newfound Pen-Trap Claims
Addressing the litigation and regulatory risks regarding tracking technologies requires a balanced approach between legal exposure and business impact, through a close and continuing collaboration between legal, technology,...more
It has been amply documented how the California Plaintiffs’ Bar has exploited the California Invasion of Privacy Act (“CIPA”)–explicitly designed during the Cold War to address telephonic wiretapping and eavesdropping—to...more
Though recently stalled, California legislators have been taking steps over the past few months to address the surge of "pixel-tracking" lawsuits impacting businesses. ...more
When we speak to clients about online privacy issues, they almost always mention the CCPA – California’s Consumer Privacy Act that regulates the collection and use of personal data. But unless they have already faced a...more
In the wake of an explosion in digital privacy litigation, courts and legislatures are redrawing some of the boundaries of what qualifies as unlawful data collection under decades-old statutes. Claims brought under...more
Readers of this blog are well aware of the proliferation of lawsuits alleging that websites which utilize Meta Pixel tracking software violate the California Invasion of Privacy Act (“CIPA”). These lawsuits typically allege...more
Website operators secured another win in the protracted battle over third-party website cookies last week when a California state court held that these common tech features were not “trap and trace” devices and therefore a...more
As an attorney focused on technology transactions and counseling, I approach new technologies with both curiosity and caution. Like many lawyers, I tend to be skeptical until I fully understand how something works....more
Although the California Invasion of Privacy Act (“CIPA”) lawsuit train shows no signs of slowing down, a California federal judge recently derailed a CIPA email tracking lawsuit when it dismissed claims mirroring those...more
A California bill aimed at curbing the explosion of lawsuits filed against businesses using common website tools like cookies, pixels, and session replay software has stalled out in the 2025 legislative session, meaning your...more
On July 1, 2025, a hearing was held in the California Assembly Committee on Public Safety concerning Senate Bill 690, which aims to stem the tide of lawsuits targeting routine website analytics and marketing tools by amending...more
The Ninth Circuit heard oral arguments on June 10, 2025, in three closely watched appeals—Gutierrez v. Converse Inc., Mikulsky v. Bloomingdale’s, LLC, and Thomas v. Papa John’s International, Inc.—that could shape the future...more
The Ninth Circuit court of appeals reviewed three separate proposed class actions against Papa John’s International Inc., Converse Inc., and Bloomingdale’s, all centered on whether certain website tracking activities violated...more
Readers of this blog are aware of the barrage of California Invasion of Privacy (“CIPA”) claims brought against online companies. Recently, an unfavorable decision from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (“Ninth Circuit”)...more
On June 3, 2025, the California Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 690 (SB 690) in a 35-0 vote, a strong show of support for reining in a flood of lawsuits that have taken many companies by surprise over the last few...more
A national leader in privacy law, California was among the first states to include an express right to privacy in its constitution, create a data breach notification law, and codify robust consumer data protections. ...more
On June 3, 2025, the California Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 690 (SB 690), a bill that seeks to add a “commercial business purposes” exception to the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA)....more
On June 3, 2025, the California Senate unanimously voted to amend the California Invasion of Privacy Act (“CIPA”) to exclude cookies and other commonly used internet tracking technologies from CIPA under certain...more
On May 19, 2025, the California Senate Appropriations Committee, which handles budgetary and financial matters, held a hearing on California Senate Bill 690 (SB 690). The proposed bill would amend the California Invasion of...more
California Senate Bill 690 (SB 690), introduced by Senator Anna Caballero, is continuing to proceed through the California state legislative process. The proposed bill would amend the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA)...more
On April 29, 2025, the Senate Public Safety Committee voted 6-0 to advance legislation that would exempt processing of personal information for a commercial business purpose from coverage by the California Invasion of Privacy...more
Companies doing business in California continue to face a surge in privacy-related complaints and lawsuits under the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), a 1960s-era law designed to prevent unlawful telephone...more
In a big win for businesses, a California federal court just held that a “tester” plaintiff – someone who visits websites for purposes of initiating litigation – cannot bring a claim under the California Invasion of Privacy...more
Readers of this blog know about the never-ending barrage of consumer privacy litigation commenced against online companies in connection with their collection of consumer data. Several of these cases have recently been filed...more
Recent months have seen a dramatic increase in demand letters and litigation targeting websites and mobile apps. These claims often allege privacy violations stemming from the use of various technologies such as chat bots,...more