Ted Claypoole has been a leading expert regarding information security and privacy law since before most people ever heard the term “Internet.” Formerly the chief data lawyer for Compuserve, and later as the top privacy and infosecurity lawyer for Bank of America, Ted has a long history of studying tough issues surrounding privacy law long before the general public has considered the issues. Today he is asking thoughtful questions about data collection and COVID-19.
In our TendingBar interview, Ted reflects on data collection efforts that are currently underway around the world, that are undertaken for laudable purposes related to combatting COVID-19, but that may have the unintended consequence of exposing vulnerable communities to discrimination or other harms. How can governments and private organizations serve public health goals without undermining privacy interests? Ted shares cautions and prescriptions.
Key Interview Moments (minutes:seconds)
7:08 The average day of a privacy lawyer
11:24 The Case for American Privacy Law
14:30 Reasonableness and lack of clear-cut standards in global privacy law
17:10 The new privacy challenges of COVID-19
22:05 Understanding what’s trackable about you
24:15 Tracking COVID-19’s spread
25:30 COVID-19 Data and Persecuted Minorities
- 25:50 COVID-19 Scapegoating against the LGBTQIA+ community in Seoul, South Korea
- 28:37 India’s COVID-19 database and potential risks to India’s Muslim population
33:10 Current U.S. Contact Tracing Efforts
About Ted Claypoole
Ted Claypoole is a nationally known attorney focused on the law and policy of privacy and information security. An Atlanta-based partner at Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP, Ted and our host, Todd Harris (also a Womble partner), have collaborated for years in representing tech companies and all kinds of companies who possess or process valuable data of all kinds.
Ted is the lead author of the entertaining and informative blog, HeyDataData, where he recently discussed how contact tracing to track COVID-19’s spread can lead to real-life risks for vulnerable communities (Click here to read the article.)
Ted has also authored several books on information security and privacy law. His latest work, The Law of Artificial Intelligence and Smart Machines: Understanding A.I. and the Legal Impact, was recently published by the American Bar Association and is available now on Amazon. (Click here to find the book.)