BIPA and You: Does this IL Law Reasonably Protect User Privacy or Unreasonably Prevent Company Innovation?

EVENTS

BIPA and You: Does this IL law reasonably protect user privacy or unreasonably prevent company innovation?

Join us as our PILI fellow, Joseph Hawkins, leads a forum to inform you of your privacy rights as an Illinois resident. Come and be more informed about where you stand!

Here's a little background:

In 2008, the Illinois legislature passed The Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). The law prohibits the collection, capture, and purchase of user identification such as fingerprints and facial geometry, unless certain conditions are met. Beyond covering these areas, it gives private citizens the right to sue any private company who are "aggrieved" from statutory violations. Illinois is the only state in the country with this right of suit over biometric information.

Is this a case of onerous rules hampering for-profit companies? After all, Chicago wants to get the Amazon HQ2, and Amazon is a pioneer in new biometric technologies. Or is this a case of reasonable government action from legislators to protect the data of their constituents? As the Facebook scandal has shown, the misuse of user data will foment public outrage. The Illinois legislature is considering changes to the legislation, and companies are being sued across the country.

EVENTS