On May 12, the Biden Administration issued an “Executive Order on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity.” The Order seeks to strengthen the federal government’s ability to respond to and prevent cybersecurity threats, including by modernizing federal networks, enhancing the federal government’s software supply chain security, implementing enhanced cybersecurity practices and procedures in the federal government, and creating government-wide plans for incident response. The Order covers a wide array of issues and processes, setting numerous deadlines for recommendations and actions by federal agencies, and focusing on enhancing the protection of federal networks in partnership with the service providers on which federal agencies rely. Private sector entities, including federal contractors and service providers, will have opportunities to provide input to some of these actions.
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German Federal Government Passed a Draft Law Amending Germany’s Information Technology Laws
On December 16, 2020, the German Federal Government passed a draft law that substantially amends some of Germany’s information technology laws (“IT laws”). These amendments aim to adapt the current legal framework to the increasing digitalization of products and services, the proliferation of IoT products, and the appearance of new cybersecurity threats. The draft law is expected to be enacted in the German Parliament in the first quarter of 2021.
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AI, IoT, and CAV Legislative Update: EU Spotlight (Third Quarter 2020)
In this edition of our regular roundup on legislative initiatives related to artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, the Internet of Things (IoT), and connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs), we focus on key developments in the European Union (EU).
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U.S. AI, IoT, and CAV Legislative Update – Second Quarter 2020
In this update, we detail the key legislative updates in the second quarter of 2020 related to artificial intelligence (“AI”), the Internet of Things (“IoT”), cybersecurity as it relates to AI and IoT, and connected and automated vehicles (“CAVs”). The volume of legislation on these topics has slowed but not ceased, as lawmakers increasingly focus on the pandemic and the upcoming national election. As Congress processes Appropriations bills, it continues to look to support and fund these technologies. We will continue to update you on meaningful developments between these quarterly updates across our blogs.
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IoT Update: FTC Settles with Smart Lock Manufacturer and Provides Guidance for IoT Companies
On April 6, 2020, Tapplock, Inc., a Canadian maker of internet-connected smart locks, entered into a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) to resolve allegations that the company deceived consumers by falsely claiming that it had implemented reasonable steps to secure user data and that its locks were “unbreakable.” The FTC alleged that these representations amounted to deceptive conduct under Section 5 of the FTC Act. In its press release accompanying the settlement, the FTC provided guidance for IoT companies regarding the design and implementation of privacy and security measures for “smart” devices, as discussed further below in this post.
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AI and IoT Legislative Developments: Third Quarter 2019
Federal policymakers continued to focus on artificial intelligence (“AI”) and the Internet of Things (“IoT”) in the third quarter of 2019, including by introducing substantive bills that would regulate the use of such technology and by supporting bills aimed at further study of how such technology may impact different sectors. In our third AI & IoT Quarterly Legislative Update, we detail the notable legislative events from this quarter on AI, IoT, cybersecurity as it relates to AI and IoT, and connected and autonomous vehicles (“CAVs”).
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AI/IoT Update: Connected and Automated Vehicles Webinar Series: EU Key Developments PART 1
Earlier this month, Covington’s Brussels, Frankfurt and London offices hosted a webinar on EU regulatory developments impacting connected and automated vehicles (CAVs). The seminar attracted participants from across the globe, predominantly from tech and automotive industries. This post features an overview of the introduction, and sections on data access and competition, data protection and cybersecurity. Part 2 will focus on other important CAV areas in the EU.
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AI and IoT Legislative Developments: First Quarter 2019
Federal and state policymakers introduced a range of new measures on artificial intelligence (“AI”) and the Internet of Things (“IoT”) in the first quarter of 2019. In our initial AI & IoT Quarterly Legislative Update, we detail the notable legislative events from this quarter on AI, IoT, cybersecurity as it relates to AI and IoT, and connected and autonomous vehicles (“CAVs”). Unlike prior years, in which federal lawmakers largely called for studies of these new technologies and supported investments in them, policymakers are increasingly introducing substantive proposals—particularly on AI and cybersecurity, and at the state level.
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IoT Update: EU Commission Issues Recommendation on Cybersecurity in the Energy Sector
The European Commission (“Commission”) has published a Recommendation on cybersecurity in the energy sector (“Recommendation”). The Recommendation builds on recent EU legislation in this area, including the NIS Directive and EU Cybersecurity Act (see our posts here and here). It sets out guidance to achieve a higher level of cybersecurity taking into account specific characteristics of the energy sector, including the use of legacy technology and interdependent systems across borders.
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Senate Reintroduces IoT Cybersecurity Improvement Act
On March 11, 2019, a bipartisan group of lawmakers including Sen. Mark Warner and Sen. Cory Gardner introduced the Internet of Things (IoT) Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2019. The Act seeks “[t]o leverage Federal Government procurement power to encourage increased cybersecurity for Internet of Things devices.” In other words, this bill aims to shore up cybersecurity requirements for IoT devices purchased and used by the federal government, with the aim of affecting cybersecurity on IoT devices more broadly.
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