Legal & Regulatory

Federal Laws

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulates the healthcare industry in the United States and assures that healthcare organizations will be responsible for the secure electronic transmission, secure storage and disposal of patient information.

United States Department of Health & Human Services -
www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB) of 1999

The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 (GLB) mandates that financial institutions that obtain nonpublic personal information through the normal course of their business must develop safeguards to ensure the security and confidentiality of customer records and information, and to protect against unauthorized access to or use of such records.

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB) -
www.ftc.gov/privacy/glbact/

Fair and Accurate Credit
Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA)

The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003, also known as the FACT Act, the Act contains a number of provisions intended to combat consumer fraud and related crimes, including which states THE DISPOSAL RULE, Sec. 682.3 (Any person who maintains or otherwise possesses consumer information, or any compilation of consumer information, for a business purpose must properly dispose of such information by taking reasonable measures to protect against unauthorized access to or use of the information in connection with its disposal.)

Federal Trade Commission
- www.ftc.gov/privacy

Economic Espionage Act (EEA) 1996

The Economic Espionage Act (EEA) makes the theft or misappropriation of trade secrets a criminal offense. Taking papers from dumpsters outside offices is called "dumpster diving" and is a common tactic used by commercial information brokers as well as foreign intelligence services. It involves collecting and going through the trash left out for collection from residences and businesses. Stealing trash is not illegal. The Supreme Court ruled in 1988 that once an item is left for trash pickup, there is no expectation of privacy or continued ownership.

Economic Espionage Act -
economicespionage.com