Hi Folk,
Last week was busy! This week, things are a little calmer. But that’s not to say there’s nothing going on…
PLA E-Board Elections
The semester will be winding down in a month or so, which means it’s time for a new Executive Board to be elected! The E-Board is the heart of the PLA’s programming, and I personally have found participation in it to be an immensely rewarding activity. Next year’s E-Board will have a chance to go farther and continue to help the PLA grow. We would love to see involvement, especially from our new members! Available positions are: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Academic Chair, and Social Chair; details on all these positions can be found in our constitution, downloadable here and attached as follows: PLA Constitution.pdf
To apply, send a personal statement of no more than one page in length to [email protected]. Applications will be open until April 1st. For any questions or further details, don’t hesitate to reach out!
Event: S.T.O.P. x PLA Personal & Household Smart Device Privacy
Next week, join us online for a presentation on personal and household smart device privacy concerns. S.T.O.P. litigates and advocates for privacy, fighting excessive local and state-level surveillance, and they bring a wealth of experience both in the courtroom and in the field! For those of you who expressed interest in smart home security, this is something not to miss.
The event will run from 1pm to 2pm on Tuesday, April 4, over Zoom. Join us at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86414661190?pwd=dnZINUpVN3NQWEVFM0dJZ0Z0ZjlJdz09!
Privacy News
E-Board elections are the big news, but that’s not to say that nothing else is happening in the world. Iowa passed a new privacy law, but it hasn’t impressed anyone. British Prince Harry is suing a tabloid over privacy concerns, for those of you who follow international royals. And from New York City, our good friends at S.T.O.P. have sued Amazon for “dystopian” biometric surveillance!
 | Prince Harry in court for privacy suit against tabloid A lawyer for a group of British tabloids is asking a judge in London to toss out lawsuits by Prince Harry, Elton John and several other celebrities who allege phone tapping and other invasions of privacy abcnews.go.com |
 | We Sued Amazon Yesterday — S.T.O.P. – The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project / www.stopspying.org |
Monosodium Glutamate, but Make it Social Media: Congress vs. TikTok
Growing up, was anyone else told that Chinese food was disastrously unhealthy because it containged MSG? Complete nonsense. Baseless racism. Now, TikTok. Last week, its CEO appeared in front of Congress for five hours as lawmakers considered banning the app from American shores. I also received some questions privately about the difference between TikTok and other social media. Bear in mind, I’m not TikTok’s biggest fan, and privacy policies of social media are profoundly alarming in general. Federal interest in strengthening privacy laws would be fantastic! But the current congressional push? Not about privacy.
 | Key takeaways from TikTok hearing in Congress – and the uncertain road ahead Lawmakers grilled the social media app’s CEO over its relationship with China and protections for young users www.theguardian.com |
 | The TikTok Hearing Revealed That Congress Is the Problem The interrogation of CEO Shou Zi Chew highlighted US lawmakers’ own failure to pass privacy legislation. www.wired.com |
Remember to apply for PLA E-Board positions, and I look forward to seeing you at our online event next week!
Best,
Kyle Hunt
President, Privacy Law Association