Last week, EPIC Counsel @suzannebernstein.bsky.social spoke on a panel at the Global Age Assurance Standards Summit in Manchester, UK, about the legal and policy landscape for age assurance in the US. Learn more about EPIC’s work on age assurance & platform accountability here: shorturl.at/JiCOu

The SECURE Data Act is not a serious effort at tackling the urgent privacy crisis facing this country. It is weaker than many existing state laws (the very state laws that it would wipe off the books with its broad preemption provision). Some examples:

📢 NEW: EPIC published a new report today that examines how state Attorneys General are advancing privacy enforcement across the U.S. (2020–2024). 220+ cases. 35 letters. 20 investigations. Read more: epic.org/state-ag-pri...

📰 EPIC News Roundup ▶️ Youtube AI age checks: "I think the increased surveillance of user behavior is not privacy protective," Counsel @suzannebernstein.bsky.social told @arstechnica.com, "The most privacy protective option involves retaining the least amount of information..." #TechNews

🛡️ How everyday devices are weaponized: “Health data collected by many wearable devices and health and wellness apps don’t fall under HIPAA’s umbrella,” Counsel Suzanne Bernstein @suzannebernstein.bsky.social told @forbes.com. #DataPrivacy #HealthData

💬 EPIC Counsel @suzannebernstein.bsky.social testified in support of Massachusetts bills S.30/H.4229, An Act Protecting Children from Addictive Social Media Feeds: epic.org/epic-testifi...

BIG NEWS! This afternoon, Governor Phil Scott signed the Vermont Age-Appropriate Design Code (AADC) into law! governor.vermont.gov/press-releas...

EPIC applauds the passage of Vermont Age-Appropriate Design Code (AADC) today: epic.org/epic-applaud...

Today the updated Children’s Online Privacy Protection (COPPA) Rule was published in the Federal Register, finalizing the much-needed modernization to the COPPA Rule. Read more here: epic.org/updated-copp...

The leaders of the House Energy & Commerce Committee wrote to #23andme saying that since there is no federal comprehensive data privacy law, they have "great concern" about the safety of Americans' most sensitive personal info. Not at all frustrating. energycommerce.house.gov/posts/chairm...

El Salvador is a contractor providing the United States with a paid service. The idea that we couldn’t get anyone they’re holding back with the snap of a finger just by asking is so ludicrous on its face, it seems less like a real excuse and more like a test of how much shit the courts will eat.

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/08/u... Almost every detail in this article would have been unimaginable just a few months ago

⚠️ NetChoice v. Bonta: An oral argument explainer 🧵 EPIC Senior Counsel Megan Iorio (@meganiorio.bsky.social) and EPIC Counsel Tom McBrien (@tommcbrien.bsky.social) broke down key areas of argument ahead of today’s Ninth Circuit hearing of NetChoice v. Bonta: epic.org/ninth-circui...

Commissioner Slaughter and I just sued to clarify that we're still FTC commissioners. But this is bigger than us. This is about economic stability. If the President can break a 90-year-old Supreme Court ruling to fire us for no reason, he can do it to the Fed, the FDIC and SEC.

🎙️ EPIC Counsel Suzanne Bernstein (@suzannebernstein.bsky.social) said to NPR: “The scale of how much highly sensitive data 23andMe has is unique" and recommended "advocating to your state and federal representatives to pass strong consumer privacy laws.” www.npr.org/2025/03/24/n... #23andMe

Given 23andMe's poor track record for data security and the lack of strong consumer data privacy protections in the U.S., consumers should delete their genetic and personal data from their 23andMe account while they still can. epic.org/somebody-spi...

“The Federal Trade Commission has worked to protect consumers for more than 100 years. President Trump’s illegal attempt to fire independent commissioners is an affront to the rule of law and makes all Americans less safe,” said EPIC Executive Director Alan Butler. epic.org/press-releas...

Come for the discussion of New Mexico consumer privacy bills, stay for the multiple “go birds!” Thanks Santa Fe radio for having me on. santafe.com/podcast/rich...

Grateful for the opportunity to testify in support of Vermont’s Age-Appropriate Design Code last week

Join EPIC Attorneys @sarageoghegan.bsky.social and @suzannebernstein.bsky.social at “The Legal Landscape of Reproductive Data Privacy” on 2/26 at 4 pm ET, co-hosted with EthicalTech@GW! Learn about data privacy threats to reproductive care, relevant state laws, and more. 💫

This is a terrible move @msnbc.com. Terrible. The @joy.msnbc.com was a critical part of the evening line-up and @joyannreid.bsky.social brings trenchant political analysis that no one else in the evening line-up has brought. I urge you to reconsider this. www.nytimes.com/2025/02/23/b...

🚨 UPDATE 🚨: EPIC’s @johndavisson.bsky.social argued in federal court today for a temporary order blocking the DOGE-directed disclosure and misuse of sensitive personal data held by OPM and Treasury. A decision is expected later today.

It's annoying how clearly this is going to play out. They gut the FAA. Therefore, the FAA can't do its job well because it was gutted. Therefore, they say "The FAA sucks, we have to privatize it." which is what Project 2025 wants to do. They're manufacturing the crises for their end goal.

my view is that as soon as the administration froze disbursement of congressional appropriations we entered constitutional crisis territory

i'm tired of being told to stop doomscrolling. i'm just scrolling, it's not my fault there's doom on there

They want to ban the teaching of the unpleasant facts of American history because people might conclude injustices in the past that contribute to inequalities in the present should be rectified, instead of their belief, which is that some groups of people are inherently superior to others

“Anyone naive enough to think that the government can deny fundamental rights to one group without putting another’s at risk is in for some nasty surprises.” www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

Nearly 1/2 of states that passed consumer privacy laws get a failing grade for protecting consumers’ data, according to The State of Privacy, an updated scorecard from EPIC & U.S. PIRG Education Fund. See your state’s report card: epic.org/state-of-privacy-2025 spoiler alert: no state earned an A!

This is rancid nonsense from the new FTC Chair, and it will come back to haunt him. You're the head of a century-old independent agency with a deeply serious mandate, not a sock puppet for segregationists. Get a grip and get back to the work of protecting consumers. www.ftc.gov/news-events/...

I loved and admired this woman. She was one I would follow into battle. A true fighter and ally in every way. God bless you Cecile Richards. Rest in Peace and Power. www.cnn.com/2025/01/20/u...

So sad to hear of her passing. What an incredible advocate 19thnews.org/2025/01/ceci...

Key takeaways from the TikTok v. Garland decision from @epic.org penned by my colleague @tommcbrien.bsky.social

Among some other strong provisions, I was glad to see the FTC hold steady and require all covered entities to implement data security programs and data minimization practices (outside of other notice or consent obligations) epic.org/epic-applaud...

“By requiring that operators implement a formal data security program the Commission has improved the power of COPPA to mitigate the risks that unrestrained personal data collection and retention pose to children online every day,” said Suzanne Bernstein, EPIC Counsel (@suzannebernstein.bsky.social)

one thing i’m stuck on is this idea that “masculine” energy means license to act like a chud in public, as opposed to more traditional notions of public masculinity, such as those that put a premium on the performance of integrity, honesty, honor and generosity.

Read my colleague @meganiorio.bsky.social’s preview of the important issues at stake before the Supreme Court today in FSC v. Paxton epic.org/in-free-spee...

Another important piece of reporting highlighting urgent consumer health data privacy issues www.consumerreports.org/health/healt...

California's regulation of addictive feeds will go into effect tomorrow, thanks to Judge Davila's decision denying in part NetChoice's request to enjoin SB 976. The restrictions on notifications & the compelled disclosure provisions were put on hold. More at link & below. epic.org/judge-allows...

Me, a public health person, just sitting over here reflecting on the fact that the US has experienced a 7% increase in infant mortality post-Dobbs. Like, do you realize what that says about this society from an ethical perspective? That we made policy choices that caused this? #PHEthx

EPIC submitted an amicus brief in NetChoice v. Bonta, an important case about whether the First Amendment prevents the government from regulating harmful, content-neutral features on online platforms. epic.org/epic-urges-n...

I wrote about Ovia sharing ovulation and pregnancy information with people's employers in 2019: www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2... Now, one in three women ages 15 to 44 live in states where abortion is banned or mostly banned: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...

As 23andMe likely heads towards bankruptcy or sale, many consumers are understandably concerned: what will happen to their genetic data? epic.org/somebody-spi... (@suzannebernstein.bsky.social)

Huge morning for federal action on data brokers! The CFPB is out with its long-awaited FCRA/data brokers proposed rule (epic.org/epic-welcome...), while the FTC announced two big actions against brokers for selling sensitive location data (www.ftc.gov/news-events/..., www.ftc.gov/news-events/...).

Background on what that rulemaking is all about from @epic.org and our partners: epic.org/cfpb-fair-cr...

Thanks @latimes.com for the opportunity to discuss health data privacy risks from wearable technology and body-centric data collection.