Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

How Startups Can Protect Consumer Privacy and Enhance Cybersecurity

By Bill O'Connor
January 31, 2016

Many startup businesses collect and store vast amounts of personally identifiable information (PII) from consumers, but often fail to adequately protect the privacy of this consumer information. There could be many reasons for this, but it is likely the result of limited budgets and priorities.

Startup founders are faced with so many challenges and tasks when trying to start a business that concerns about privacy and cybersecurity just don't get much attention. Startups may also believe that they aren't targets for cybersecurity threats. Even if startups do recognize that they are targets and intend to implement cybersecurity controls to protect the privacy of the consumer information they collect and store, they usually have limited financial resources, and have to use their limited funds on other important business needs.

Despite these challenges, startup businesses still have the same duty to protect consumer privacy and address the same cybersecurity risks as more established businesses. So when they are developing their businesses plans and processes, cybersecurity must be part of the discussion.

Read These Next
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws Image

This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.

The Article 8 Opt In Image

The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.

Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin Image

With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.

Legal Possession: What Does It Mean? Image

Possession of real property is a matter of physical fact. Having the right or legal entitlement to possession is not "possession," possession is "the fact of having or holding property in one's power." That power means having physical dominion and control over the property.

The Anti-Assignment Override Provisions Image

UCC Sections 9406(d) and 9408(a) are one of the most powerful, yet least understood, sections of the Uniform Commercial Code. On their face, they appear to override anti-assignment provisions in agreements that would limit the grant of a security interest. But do these sections really work?