TOP NEWS | ZoomInfo Settlement Claim Deadline Nears for Eligible Residents in Four States; U.S. Supreme Court Reviews Facebook Securities Fraud Case Tied to Cambridge Analytica Data Breach and more.
New Global Cross-Border Data Regulations Signal Shift in Public Policy Priorities
Governments worldwide are implementing new data transfer laws covering personal and nonpersonal data for purposes like national security and competition. In the U.S., outbound data restrictions prevent sensitive data transfers to adversarial nations. China’s regulations, effective 2025, mandate data localization for important data impacting national security. The EU’s digital regulations require data-sharing in sectors like health and AI. Emerging AI laws in the EU and China focus on national security, compliance, and transparency. Companies must now adapt to a changing landscape with heightened compliance, cybersecurity, and business continuity measures. Read more
Landmark Admin Data Breach Exposes Sensitive Data of Over 800,000 Individuals
Landmark Admin, a partner to major U.S. insurance companies, has disclosed a data breach impacting over 800,000 people. Hackers gained unauthorized access to Landmark’s systems in May 2024, stealing sensitive data such as Social Security numbers, bank details, and health insurance information. Despite initial security measures, attackers re-entered the network in June. Landmark has responded by strengthening encryption protocols and offering identity theft protection for those affected. This breach underscores the rising threat to data-heavy industries, with average data breach costs climbing to $4.88 million in 2024, according to IBM. Read more
U.S. Supreme Court Reviews Facebook Securities Fraud Lawsuit Over Cambridge Analytica Data Breach
The U.S. Supreme Court is examining Meta’s appeal to dismiss a 2018 shareholder lawsuit accusing Facebook of misleading investors on user data misuse. Shareholders, led by Amalgamated Bank, allege that Facebook omitted details of a 2015 data breach involving Cambridge Analytica in risk disclosures. The justices, questioning Facebook’s stance that risk disclosures are inherently forward-looking, are expected to rule by June. This decision may influence standards for securities fraud cases, affecting how companies disclose past incidents. Read more
ZoomInfo Settlement Claim Deadline Approaches for Eligible Residents in Four States
Americans in California, Illinois, Indiana, and Nevada have until November 4 to file claims in ZoomInfo’s $29.55 million settlement over privacy violations. Payouts range by state, with California residents eligible for between $108.43 and $216.86, Illinois for $145.93 to $291.85, Indiana for $740.77 to $1,481.54, and Nevada for $971.24 to $1,942.47. Eligibility depends on when a claimant’s data appeared on ZoomInfo.com, with specific date ranges for each state. Additionally, other settlements, including Paycom and Oracle, offer Americans compensation for related privacy breaches, with deadlines approaching in November. Read more
Scrutiny on Location Data Brokers and Privacy Intensifies
Atlas Privacy’s investigation has revealed access to sensitive geolocation data through Locate X, a tool marketed to law enforcement, which could identify devices at sensitive locations. This investigation has sparked legal action under New Jersey’s Daniel’s Law to protect officers’ data. Analysts report that location data practices are under heightened scrutiny, with the FTC pursuing enforcement against data brokers, targeting sensitive data such as visits to abortion clinics. U.S. state privacy laws define precise location data based on a threshold radius, and advancements in IP address mapping and mobile beacons have further raised concerns over data accuracy and consumer privacy. Read more
