Video Privacy Protection Act Applies to Non-Customers

A federal appellate court ruled that the NBA may have violated a consumer’s privacy rights after the consumer signed up for its online newsletter and shared personal information. The court’s decision balanced modern technology with a decades-old privacy law, the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA), which limits the disclosure of identifiable consumer information. The plaintiff established standing since his information was shared with META, a third party, without his consent. The court determined that the plaintiff was a subscriber under the VPPA, even though he did not pay a fee, because he provided personal details.

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT…The sharing of personal information with a third party even though the person was not a customer in the sense that they did not buy anything shows how broadly this law can be applied.  Businesses need to review their privacy policies and tracking methods.