Whether they happen when papers or a laptop are left behind in a taxi, when hackers gain access to government or private systems remotely, or when physical access provides thieves with an opportunity to steal data at the point-of-sale, data breaches appear to be occurring with great frequency these days. Recent examples include breaches that occurred at Target, Home Depot, and Michael’s stores, Anthem Insurance, the federal Office of Personnel Management, and the Ashley Madison website. The data stolen in each case varies, from employee records, to credit card information, to health records, to sexual fantasies and adulterous desires. The panel members will discuss the effect of these breaches on individuals and data holders; how the law does, can, and should respond to data breaches; and what steps all of us can and should be taking to safeguard our data.
The Section held a virtual business meeting in advance of the Annual Meeting.