A top affliction of privacy professionals is the growing complexity of privacy laws. The number of jurisdictions regulating data privacy and the number of other laws in which privacy provisions are tucked has increased with no letup since 2000. Like the Lilliputians in Gulliver's Travels, the tiniest jurisdictions are now lassoing their privacy ropes around the mightiest of corporations.
Where does this leave those who are charged with keeping their organizations privacy-compliant? Desperately looking for a way to organize news about all of these developments.
I recently surveyed the landscape of possible solutions to this problem. What did I find? Three different approaches: free Web sites, newsletters and news feeds; fee-based periodicals; and fee-based databases, such as Nymity's PrivaWorks, Cecile Park Publishing's DataGuidance and law firm Morrison and Foerster LLP's Summit Privacy.
What were the pros and cons of each approach?
Free sources
Privacy leaders with no budget will want to exploit what's free, including these options:
-
Morrison & Foerster's Privacy Library, probably the most comprehensive and current free online listing of privacy laws in 95 countries.
-
Law firm Baker & McKenzie's annual Global Privacy Handbook, which is distributed to clients and friends.
-
Computerworld's own Security Newsletter, which offers a regular look at news about the technical threats to personal data.
-
The International Association of Privacy Professionals' Daily Dashboard, Canada Dashboard Digest and monthly Inside 1to1: Privacy. These are the best available free news feeds on privacy.
I've been a Daily Dashboard junkie for years, and keep an online collection of links to hundreds of articles featured in the Dashboard.
When it comes to analysis of developments in privacy law, many law and consulting firms also offer free newsletters. Table 1 offers a full list, including instructions on how to sign up.
Table 1: Law and Consulting Firm Privacy Newsletters
A number of firms offer excellent, succinct analysis of developments in data privacy, security and retention.Firm | Newsletter | Scope | Frequency | Sign-up |
---|---|---|---|---|
Alston & Bird | Privacy & Security Advisory | U.S. and global data protection; finance and health care | As developments occur | Contact |
Alston & Bird | Health Care Advisory | U.S. health care | As developments occur | |
Baker & McKenzie | Global Privacy Newsletter | Global privacy developments | Monthly | Contact |
Baker & McKenzie | Privacy Matters | Hong Kong and China privacy and data protection | Quarterly | |
Baker & McKenzie | CPO Corner: Interviews with Leading Chief Privacy Officers | Privacy benchmarking information | Quarterly | |
Bird & Bird | Privacy & Data Protection Update | EU data protection, all industries | Monthly | |
BNA International | World Data Protection Report | Global privacy and data protection | Monthly | Contact |
Boston Privacy Group | Think Privacy | U.S., data privacy and security | As developments occur | |
Cabinet Gelly | Ad hoc privacy news | Data protection in France, all industries | As developments occur | Contact |
Covington & Burling | Covington Advisories & E-Alert | Global privacy and data protection, all industries | As developments occur | Contact |
Davis & Gilbert | D&G Alerts | Advertising, marketing, promotions | As developments occur | |
Dechert | Privacy OnPoint | EU data protection and US information security | As developments occur | |
DLA Piper | E-Commerce and Privacy Alert | Privacy and e-commerce | As developments occur | |
Ernst & Young | Top Privacy Issues - Global | Global data privacy | Annual | |
Ernst & Young | Global Information Security Survey | Global information security | Annual | |
Field Fisher Waterhouse | BCR Update | Binding corporate rules | As developments occur | |
Foley & Lardner | Foley & Lardner LLP's Privacy, Security & Information Management Newsletter | U.S. and global privacy and security | Monthly | |
Goodwin Procter | Privacy Newsletter | Global privacy and data protection, all industries | As developments occur | |
Hunton & Williams | Huntonprivacyblog.com | Global privacy, security, and information management; all industries | As developments occur | Contact |
Informatica Security & Privacy | The Pulse | Data privacy and security; finance, health care | Monthly | Contact |
Jones Day | Jones Day Commentary - Privacy | Global privacy and data protection | As developments occur | Contact |
Kelley Drye & Warren | Kelley Drye Client Advisories | Global privacy and data protection, all industries | As developments occur | Contact |
Law Office of Kris Klein | The Klein & Kratchanov Report | Canadian privacy and access to data | Monthly | Contact |
Littler Mendelson | Workplace Privacy Counsel | Global privacy and data protection, all industries | As developments occur | Contact |
McDermott Will & Emery | Hot Topics | U.S. and global privacy and data protection; health care | As developments occur | Contact |
Meyerowitz Communications Inc. | Privacy & Data Security Law Journal | U.S. privacy, all industries | Monthly | |
Morrison & Foerster | Morrison & Foerster Client Alert | Global privacy and data protection, all industries | As developments occur | Contact |
Perkins Coie | Perkins Coie Privacy and Security Updates | Global privacy and data protection, all industries | As developments occur | Contact |
Rebecca Herold & Associates | The Privacy Professor | Worldwide privacy and information security | Quarterly | |
Sidley Austin | Sidley Updates | Privacy, data security and information law | As developments occur | Contact |
Speechly Bircham | Inform: IP, Technology & Commercial | EU data protection, all industries | Monthly | Contact |
Venable | The Download | U.S. privacy, all industries | Monthly | |
Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon | WildmanHarrold Privacy & Security Resource Center | U.S. privacy, security, and new media | As developments occur | |
Wiley Rein | Privacy in Focus | Data privacy and security, all industries | Monthly | Contact |
Winston & Strawn | Privacy and Technology Bulletin | U.S. consumer, health care, financial, and online privacy, data breach and security | Quarterly | |
Proskauer Rose | A Moment of Privacy | Online newsletter | Monthly | Contact |
Proskauer Rose | Privacy Law Blog | Online blog | As developments occur | Contact |
Proskauer Rose | New Media and Technology Law Blog | Blog | As developments occur | Contact |