Hello, everyone. The IAPP has taken the precautionary step in response to COVID-19 by having employees work virtually in order to prioritize everyone’s health and safety. To the greatest extent possible, it is business as usual at the IAPP. Operations will continue on a remote basis — we recognize that the work of privacy is ongoing, and we’re here for you. I wanted to provide some reminders and updates that I hope will address concerns you may have: IAPP trainings are available virtually. W... Read More

Proportionality — that’s the watchword companies need to adhere to in times of crisis. The challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic and concerted efforts to stop its spread have thrown data protection law into the global spotlight. With companies and authorities alike doing everything they can to stem the transmission of the disease, measures like checking recent travel histories, taking body temperature and tracking patients’ movements have come to seem acceptable. But many are asking, how far shoul... Read More

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, here are the latest stories on how the outbreak has affected privacy: The World Health Organization is advising those offering technological aid to combat COVID-19 to be mindful of privacy and human rights, Reuters reports. Euractiv reports the European Commission hopes to use COVID-19 to demonstrate the EU's open data policy and data use for the "common good." The U.S Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights issued guidance on how... Read More

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many things in life to a screeching halt. For many organizations, the outbreak has meant shuttering, limiting or digitalizing most, if not all, operations. Those types of transitions and subsequent hardships have led some in the privacy space to question whether it's right for California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to go forward with California Consumer Privacy Act enforcement July 1. A coalition of 35 advertising groups sent the attorney general a letter M... Read More

It's hard to imagine going through a day right now without thinking about COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. You likely already know the basic facts: It appears to have originated in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China; the disease can cause severe illness in people, including death, though, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, serious illness occurs in only 16% of cases; the disease is rapidly spreading around the world; and there's still a lot of unknowns su... Read More

Managing the COVID-19 outbreak and stopping its spread is now a global challenge. In addition to the significant health and medical responses underway around the world, governments and public health officials are focused on how to monitor, understand and prevent the spread of the virus. Data protection and privacy laws, including the EU General Data Protection Regulation and various U.S. laws, are informing these responses. One major response to limiting the spread of infection is contact traci... Read More

As more doctors’ offices and care centers try to move non-urgent care patient visits from in-person to online to battle further spread of COVID-19, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued new guidance that can help.  The guidance came in the form of a Notification of Enforcement Discretion for Telehealth Remote Communications directed at health care providers subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It states the Office for Civil Rights “will exercise ... Read More

Hello, everyone. Over the past few days, many of you have reached out to the IAPP regarding the management and status of our upcoming conferences, trainings and gatherings as it relates to COVID-19. Your questions and concerns are warranted, and we are listening. The IAPP will always prioritize the well-being and safety of our members, sponsors, staff and anyone affiliated with the production of our events and gatherings. The IAPP leadership and staff are focused on this highly dynamic and evo... Read More

As more doctors’ offices and care centers try to move non-urgent care patient visits from in-person to online to battle further spread of COVID-19, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued new guidance that can help.  The guidance came in the form of a Notification of Enforcement Discretion for Telehealth Remote Communications directed at health care providers subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It states the Office for Civil Rights “will exercise ... Read More

The U.S. government just eased the path for doctors and nurses to do video chats with patients by lifting privacy and security compliance penalties and enforcement action against health care providers. The Office for Civil Rights at the U.S Department of Health and Human Services Tuesday said it will allow health care providers to use technology, such as Apple FaceTime, Facebook Messenger video chat or other video platforms, to communicate with patients. But, while federal response to the COVID... Read More

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued a limited waiver protecting health care providers from Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act penalties during the COVID-19 outbreak. The waiver absolves providers of certain HIPAA responsibilities, including being required to honor facility directory opt-outs and issue privacy notices. Patient rights to request confidential communications and privacy restrictions have also been temporarily revoked under the waiver.Full Sto... Read More