Massachusetts took another step toward the possible passage of a comprehensive privacy bill. The House side of the state legislature’s Advanced IT Committee advanced a new version (H-4746) of the proposed Massachusetts Consumer Data Privacy Act on Monday.
Biometric Privacy
Biometric privacy laws regulate how companies handle sensitive personal identifiers like facial scans, fingerprints and voiceprints. In the U.S., Illinois’ BIPA has led to landmark litigation and multimillion-dollar settlements, setting a precedent for consent, data retention and security standards. Other states and countries are following suit with their own biometric requirements. This page covers key lawsuits, regulatory action and compliance best practices in the biometrics space.
Amazon’s announcement that it will add facial recognition technology (FRT) to its Ring cameras poses privacy risks and may violate laws, said Mario Trujillo, staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), during an audio companion to the group’s weekly newsletter Wednesday.
Plaintiffs voluntarily dropped a class-action privacy case against Target on Wednesday, saying discovery disproved their allegation that the retail giant used facial recognition technology (FRT) in its stores.
Opponents of social media age-verification requirements Thursday cast a Michigan bill as outdated, bad for consumer privacy and likely to draw a lawsuit. However, at the Michigan House Regulatory Reform Committee hearing, sponsor Rep. Mark Tisdel (R) repeatedly said his legislation is meant to hammer home a critical concept: “Minors can’t consent.”
Privacy regulators in the U.S. and abroad are scrutinizing how connected vehicles collect and share data about their drivers, said Morrison Foerster attorneys on a webinar Wednesday.
Privacy and AI-focused state lawmakers will meet with congressional offices next week to discuss legislative priorities, Virginia Del. Michelle Lopes Maldonado (D) told us in an interview Friday. For 2026, she expressed interest in updating Virginia’s comprehensive privacy law and regulating AI chatbots with Democrats now in full control of the legislative and executive branches after Tuesday's election.
The sudden dismissal of a consumer's biometrics lawsuit in Illinois against Home Depot leaves legal questions about facial scanning technology's future use at self-checkout kiosks, said Kathryn Rattigan, Robinson+Cole lawyer, in a blog post Thursday.
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William Webster was named Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner for a two-year term, the UK government announced Monday. Webster assumed the position -- which has been vacant since August 2024 -- after an open competition for the role, in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments, the announcement said.
Facial recognition technology (FRT) deployment in stadiums can facilitate safety and security, though its use raises privacy and cybersecurity concerns, said Orrick lawyers in a Monday blog post.