• The new European Union (EU) “ePrivacy Directive” (Directive 2009/136/EC) took effect on May 26, 2012. Under the new directive, marketers and website owners operating in any EU country are required to obtain affirmative user consent, otherwise known as “opt-in”, before using web cookies or other technologies to harvest user data. Though technically implemented a year ago, the EU agreed to forego enforcement of the directive for a year in the face of industry-led complaints about its potential negative effects. Directive 2009/136/EC is available here.
  • On May 30, 2012, the FTC will host a day-long, public “Dot Com Disclosures Workshop” addressing the need for new guidance for advertisers on appropriate disclosures for the online and mobile environment. The Workshop will concentrate on technological advancements and marketing developments that have emerged since the FTC first issued its online advertising disclosure guidelines known as “Dot Com Disclosures”. Revisions will be consistent with the goals of the original guidelines, and will continue to emphasize that general consumer protection laws apply equally to online and mobile marketers. More information on the Workshop is available here.