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March 8th, 2022
Ad Industry’s Third-Party Data Use Grew Despite Impending Cookie Shutdown
Chair of the Privacy & Data Security Group Daniel M. Goldberg was quoted in the article, ”Ad Industry’s Third-Party Data Use Grew Despite Impending Cookie Shutdown” by Cybersecurity Law Report. The article discusses the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)’s annual State of Data report which showed the advertising industry increased its use of third-party data in 2021 from the prior year, despite the planned elimination of third-party tracking cookies on web browsers. The IAB issued a call to action with its research findings and warns that companies risk harsh disruption and costs if they do not move towards more privacy-safe data use. The report determined that too few companies in the industry are sufficiently preparing for the tracker phase-out. Daniel shares his thoughts on how regulators and companies are preparing for the next-generation tools and privacy laws.
With privacy rules becoming more strict and public focus rising, the proposed post-cookie solutions come with no guarantee that regulators will approve. Daniel says, “A lot of regulators may not look as closely at the fundamental technology or understand it.” He says the regulators may take a broad view of improper targeting of ads and what counts as personal data. “They are going to say, ‘I see what you’re doing here and you’re trying to be cute, but we don’t buy it.’”
The IAB emphasizes the importance of first-part data as it is essentially “the future.” Daniel who serves on an IAB legal advisory board observes, “the organization’s premise is that the public may put an end to cross-site tracking and ad personalization within a few years.” He adds “IAB is saying that not enough companies seem to understand what the big implications are going to be when the switch is flipped on cookies. Companies can’t stick their heads in the sand.”
While the report found companies have been slow to act, it showed leaders are at least thinking of the future. Daniel says, “Companies are holding back while so much remains ambiguous about the next-generation tools, he adds, “Companies are saying they don’t know what the next thing is going to look like, so we don’t want to put all of our eggs in one basket, supporting one technology when it turns out it will become antiquated.”
The article also notes that Privacy laws are up in the air, notably what the new CPRA regulations will say when the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) issues them, scheduled for July 15, 2022. Daniel says, “Enterprises involved with advertising want to comply, act properly and avoid trouble.” Adding, “Companies are very open to exploring any and all solutions. Sometimes, they jump prematurely at a solution,” naively accepting the vendor’s claims about the product’s legality. “That’s where we have to slow them down, to vet the solution,” he said. “Vetting the privacy solutions for advertising has sometimes been drawn out because so much is changing,” Daniel continued. “Companies are monitoring emerging privacy laws and three other areas in flux: variation between different media formats’ privacy tools, the plethora of replacements under development for third-party cookies, and platform rules and mandates affecting data collection and ad tracking.”
Read the article here. (Behind paywall)
Other Quoted
The Battle over California’s Bill to Regulate how Insurers Handle Personal Data
Rick Borden is quoted in the Continuing Education of the Bar’s (CEB) DailyNews in an article on the proposed California data privacy law, Senate Bill 354, which would extend greater data privacy protections to the insurance industry. The Insurance Consumer Privacy Protection Act (ICPPA) 2025 would expand the California’s existing insurance-specific privacy law, known as the Insurance Information and Privacy Protection Act (IIPPA).
The article stated, “Rick Borden, a partner with Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz who focuses on data strategy and privacy, said California may be acting too soon because revised regulations and guidance are coming down the pike. A working group at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) is moving ahead with updates to its Model law 672, which each state has either adopted or adopted in substantially similar form. ‘Let them do their stuff,’ Borden said.”
He pointed to the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) comment letter, written on behalf of 1,200 companies comprising nearly 60% of the country’s property and casualty insurance market. It also recommended CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) regulators to wait.
But the bill’s author Senator Monique Limón and its sponsor, California Insurance Commissioner Richard Lara, are moving forward with the bill.
Mr. Borden also noted “that advertising and marketing is one of the most important areas that California’s proposed new protections could cover.”
“‘Certain advertising is not subject to GLBA [Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act], so already would be subject to CCPA,’ he said. ‘Because you’re not their customer, yet. And this isn’t about a financial transaction with them.’ The revised insurance laws would cover data collection, including for advertising, that is a part of covered insurance relationships.” View article. (Cost-free registration required.)
July 8 2025
In a Data-Obsessed World, Attorneys Welcome Privacy Law Specialization
The Los Angeles Times quotes Daniel M. Goldberg on the California State Bar’s decision to offer a specialization in privacy law. Mr. Goldberg stated that the area of privacy regulation has been exploding with growth, with California on the forefront —driving a need for designating leaders in the field. “‘The law is very complex. But on top of the law being complex, the specialization really requires a level of technical expertise. The law talks all about measures that companies need to take with respect to collection, use, disclosure of data and opting out. But if you don’t understand how the technology works or how the ecosystem works, then it’s an area that would be very, very difficult for you,’ he said.”
“He added, ‘One thing about privacy law is that you also have to be an expert on what’s going on in the news, the latest changes and whether it has to do with ad-tech platforms or AI. If you’re not up with the latest changes, you’re going to fall behind very quickly.’”
Mr. Goldberg emphasized California's pioneering role in privacy regulation. He referenced the state’s passing “the first comprehensive privacy law (the California Privacy Act or CCPA) in 2018, which he said catalyzed the creation of similar laws across other states and established California as the national leader in privacy legislation.” He noted the state had also been a leader in enforcement, citing activity of the Attorney General’s office and the California Privacy Protection Agency’s multiple enforcement actions.
Mr. Goldberg also explained why data privacy is an increasing legal practice at law firms: “‘It’s incredibly lucrative just because it’s such a broad area. It really is a subject matter expertise that goes in so many different subcategories of practices, and so almost every firm now has to have a privacy expert.'" View Article
June 26 2025
Legal, Regulatory Woes Could Mark New Era for Influencers
Hannah E. Taylor is quoted in FTCWatch on class actions against influencers and the brands they represent. Such lawsuits alleging deceptive advertising are now seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Ms. Taylor discussed this trend and commented on the FTC’s position, the NAD’s increased attention to influencer marketing, the responsibility of brands, and AI tools used to monitor content. View Article. (Subscription required)
June 24 2025
