Quantum computing is poised to profoundly reshape the cybersecurity landscape, with significant legal and regulatory implications. By introducing fundamentally different computational methods, enabling the simultaneous processing of multiple possibilities, quantum computing has the potential to undermine and ultimately render many traditional encryption techniques ineffective. The result is a significant systemic risk across critical infrastructures, including…

Continue Reading Quantum Computing and the Future of Cyber Security

The UK Government’s legislative agenda, set out in the King’s Speech on 13 May 2026, places cybersecurity and digital resilience firmly at the centre of national policy. Against a backdrop of increasing geopolitical instability and rapidly evolving technological risks, the proposed measures continue the shift towards a more interventionist and systemic approach to safeguarding the…

Continue Reading UK: The King’s Speech 2026 – Cybersecurity at the Forefront

On May 8, 2026, California Attorney General Rob Bonta — joined by the District Attorneys of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Napa, and Sonoma Counties, with support from the California Privacy Protection Agency (CalPrivacy) — announced a $12.75 million settlement with General Motors and OnStar (collectively, “GM”) over the alleged unlawful sale of California drivers’ geolocation…

Continue Reading U.S.: California’s GM Settlement: Has Data Minimization Finally Arrived?

The SECURE Data Act 2026 and GUARD Financial Data Act were introduced on April 22, 2026. This legislation would impose major data restrictions and requirements across the U.S. economy. The bill would give the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) expanded powers to oversee data collection and use.

The SECURE Data…

Continue Reading U.S.: Comprehensive Federal Privacy Legislation Introduced

The Senate Commerce Committee held an oversight hearing of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on April 15, 2026, its first in six years. Chairman Andrew Ferguson testified that the FTC policy focus will be combating hidden fees and misleading pricing practices by avoiding misleading representations about pricing and clearly disclosing total cost up front.  

The…

Continue Reading U.S.: FTC Oversight Hearing

On April 7, 2026, the Alabama legislature unanimously passed House Bill 351, the Alabama Personal Data Protection Act. The bill cleared the House 104-0 and the Senate 34-0, making Alabama the 21st state to enact a comprehensive consumer privacy statute. If signed by Governor Kay Ivey, the law will take effect on May 1…

Continue Reading U.S.: Alabama Becomes 21st State to Enact Comprehensive Privacy Law

In 2024, the Illinois General Assembly amended the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (“BIPA”) to clarify that an individual cannot seek recovery for multiple alleged violations of BIPA when those violations concern the same person, defendant entity, and method of collection.

On April 1, 2026, the Seventh Circuit issued its decision in Clay v. Union…

Continue Reading U.S.: Seventh Circuit Holds BIPA’s 2024 Damages Amendment Applies Retroactively

Organisations are increasingly turning to AI-enabled tools throughout the recruitment lifecycle, from CV filtering and suitability scoring to online assessments and behavioural analysis. These tools can offer real advantages, including faster hiring processes and the potential to reduce human bias that inevitably exists in traditional recruitment. However, their use often creates a tension with data…

Continue Reading UK: ICO Report on Automated Decision-Making in Recruitment

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has published an exposure draft of the landmark Privacy (Children’s Online Privacy) Code 2026 (Code), which crystallises expectations around how personal information of children must be collected and handled under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act).

The Code applies on…

Continue Reading Australia: Exposure draft of Children’s Online Privacy Code signals tougher standards

California’s Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (CAADCA) remains at the center of one of the most significant legal battles in children’s privacy law. On March 12, 2026, the Ninth Circuit issued its latest decision in NetChoice, LLC v. Bonta, partially affirming and partially vacating the district court’s preliminary injunction that had blocked the law’s enforcement.

Continue Reading U.S.: The Ninth Circuit’s Latest CAADCA Ruling: Navigating an Evolving Compliance Landscape