Cathy Mulrow-Peattie Featured in Law360 Mid-Year Report on the Emerging State Data Privacy Law Patchwork

In the first half of 2024, seven more states joined the growing landscape of data privacy regulations, making it essential for businesses to adapt and comply. In a Law360 article titled "State Data Privacy Law Patchwork: Midyear Report," partner Cathy Mulrow-Peattie discussed why the patchwork of state data privacy laws presents such a compliance challenge.

Despite the uniformity in core consumer rights among the new state laws, their differences pose significant compliance challenges for companies that operate nationally. Mulrow-Peattie emphasized the critical need for businesses to develop robust compliance strategies, especially due to the strict enforcement landscape led by states like California and Texas. She added:

"Regulators want consumers to understand how their data is being used and shared and to be able to opt out of data sharing, so making sure that companies have policies in place to respond appropriately and are being transparent is likely to help minimize the risk of regulatory enforcement action."

Mulrow-Peattie stressed the need to prepare for stringent requirements, especially when handling health data, sensitive data, and using targeted advertising. With ongoing discussions about implementing a federal privacy law and states like Maryland creating strict regulations regarding data minimization, businesses are facing increasing privacy compliance complexity.

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• “State Data Privacy Law Patchwork: Midyear Report” was published by Law360 on June 27, 2024.