Act Promptly to Respond to a Data Breach

If you own or operate a business or non-profit organization, then it is likely not a matter of if, but when, you will experience a data breach.  News stories proliferate of high-profile data breaches involving sensitive data of millions of people.  A recent data breach of a major online fundraising platform has had far-ranging implications, affecting countless individuals, businesses, and organizations throughout the world.  The costs to investigate the breach, notify all affected parties, and work with those parties to address the breach must have been staggering.  The same data breach laws that apply to large, multi-national IT providers also apply to small businesses and non-profit organizations.  If you experience a data breach, it is imperative that you act quickly to address the breach and comply with any applicable data breach notification laws.        

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Illinois Considering Data Privacy Law

Beginning with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018 and continuing with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in 2020, governments have become increasingly active in regulating how businesses use personal information of consumers. Legislation is currently pending before the Illinois General Assembly that would adopt a similar data protection framework for Illinois residents. Businesses that collect, store, or use personal information of Illinois residents should be aware that they may soon have new obligations to provide disclosures, respond to consumer requests about their data, and comply with other requirements. 

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