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Areas of Interest
February 17th, 2022
Calif. AG Sets Sights on Loyalty Programs’ Privacy Pitfalls
Privacy & Data Security Group Chair Daniel M. Goldberg was quoted in the article, “Calif. AG Sets Sights on Loyalty Programs' Privacy Pitfalls” published by Law360. The article discusses the pressure businesses are facing to comply with the California Consumer Privacy Act requirement that companies offering loyalty programs explain to consumers how they’re profiting from the personal data they collect. The state's attorney general recently sent warning letters to a number of major corporations that offer loyalty rewards, and is making the issue a priority. Daniel explained that the challenges for brands include the difficulty of valuing customer data in relation to the benefits the companies receive – for example, because the value of free hotel rooms or flights can fluctuate many companies “say we're not going to address it right now because we don't know how to address it, or we don't want to address it because that could disclose trade secrets that give our competitors an advantage."
Daniel added that: "What's interesting is that the notices didn't talk about deficiencies in the notice but rather a lack of notice completely, and that's low-hanging fruit that [a] regulator [can] walk into a store or go onto a website and check out." The takeaway? companies “need to understand that this is something the AG's office is looking at very closely, and it's no longer an issue that companies can avoid addressing."
Read the article here. (Behind paywall)
Other Quoted
Challenges in Opt-Out Design and Children’s Privacy Highlighted by Sling TV’s Settlement With California AG
Cybersecurity Law Report quoted Daniel Goldberg regarding California AG Rob Bonta's $530,000 settlement with Sling TV for CCPA violations related to opt-out processes and children's privacy protections. Goldberg noted this is "the first CCPA settlement involving a connected TV" and indicates that connected TV is now a priority for privacy enforcement. Goldberg predicted future settlements are more likely to reach seven or eight figures as investigations progress. He explained that companies struggle to operationalize opt-outs across different platforms because many rely heavily on consent management platform vendors that often cover only cookie-based activity and don't connect to the backend systems that actually drive targeted advertising.
On children's privacy, Goldberg highlighted the CA AG's aggressive stance, noting that although Sling TV didn't collect age data, the AG concluded they still had knowledge of minors through child-directed channels, notifications from programmers, demographic inferences purchased from data brokers, and ad-targeting segments that included children. He observed this "arguably expands the notion of 'actual knowledge' under the CCPA." Goldberg advises companies to map out data flows and opt-out signals across every environment and audit vendor configurations to ensure the tools actually work. Read the full article on children’s privacy protections here. (Behind a paywall)
December 1 2025
Game companies must be flexible to comply with changing laws
Emma Smizer was recently featured as a panelist at GamesBeat Next 2025 and quoted in a GamesBeat article discussing global regulatory compliance and its impact on the gaming industry. The panel examined how evolving policy frameworks create new opportunities for developers and platforms navigating global markets.
Smizer addressed compliance challenges under emerging laws, specifically citing the Texas App Store Accountability Act. She noted that this kind of legislation changes how developers and platforms interact with users: “App stores have to do this age verification, but so do software and hardware developers. Global compliance is complicated, even just across the states… We’re moving toward a world where you can’t just be willfully ignorant about the age of your users.”
Her analysis emphasizes a growing trend that age verification and child safety requirements are not only regulatory hurdles but also can create opportunities and growth for businesses and sectors. Read the full summary of the panel here.
November 25 2025
Copyright Guide or Policy Change? Project Divides IP Attys
Law360 quoted Jacqueline Charlesworth on the controversy surrounding the American Law Institute’s copyright restatement project. Ms. Charlesworth criticized the initiative as advancing a “revisionist theory” that could weaken copyright protections. She was among nearly two dozen advisers who resigned from the project, signaling deep concerns about its direction.
The article highlights a broader debate within the IP community: whether the restatement simply clarifies existing law or attempts to reshape policy in favor of users. Ms. Charlesworth’s perspective emphasizes the stakes for rights holders as courts and practitioners consider how much influence the restatement may carry. Read the Law360 article about the copyright restatement project here.
November 19 2025
