Client Alert
Massachusetts Imposes Far-Reaching Obligations to Protect Personal Information of its Residents
January 05, 2009
Behnam Dayanim and Kelly DeMarchis
Individuals and businesses that collect personal information have become accustomed to dealing with a web of state and federal laws. In addition to federal rules that regulate personal information, over 40 states currently have laws in place that require notice of the inadvertent disclosure of personally identifying information related to each individual states residents.
For a long time, California has been the trendsetter in this area of the law, enacting a welter of laws intended to address data privacy and security concerns. Now, Massachusetts has gone one step further. New regulations require any person that owns, licenses, stores or maintains personal information in electronic form from Massachusetts residents to implement a written, comprehensive information security program.