Web Scraping, AI, and Data Privacy: Navigating the Minefield of Legal Issues; Balancing the Benefits and Risks

Mr. Friel is a thought leader in digital media, IP, data privacy and protection, and consumer protection law, with over three decades of relevant experience to address the intersection of law and technology. Having served as a GC for several years in the late 1990s before returning to private practice, Mr. Friel has the necessary expertise to advise clients on making practical and informed business decisions, and help companies and entrepreneurs navigate the complex opportunities created by disruptive technology. With his in-house and private practice experience, he assists clients with creating data inventories, and information governance and data privacy and security programs; developing and implementing policies and procedures for providing consumer data privacy transparency, choice and access; drafting and negotiating privacy and data security provisions for commercial contracts; evaluating privacy impact assessments; addressing data privacy and security issues in merger and acquisitions transactions; structuring personal data transfer arrangements (including cross-border, intracompany, sales and licenses, and disclosures that are exempt from, and/or comply with, certain legal restrictions); drafting and revising external and internal privacy and data security policies and procedures; and addressing complex intellectual property and consumer protection issues related to digital media, advertising and commerce, such as in connection with the development and deployment of artificial intelligence, tailored and targeted advertising practices, and digital transformation and data commercialization strategies. Mr. Friel is a sought-after speaker and is affiliated with UCLA as an assistant professor in a multidisciplinary project at the Graduate School of TV, Film and Digital Media, and is an adjunct professor at Loyola Marymount School of Law.

Ms. Jacobson is a partner in the Data Privacy, Cybersecurity & Digital Assets Practice. She offers practical and tactical counsel on privacy and cybersecurity compliance strategies, data breach response, technology transactions and marketing initiatives for national and multinational organizations. Ms. Jacobson assists clients with the design and development of privacy-sensitive policies for the collection and use of personal data. She regularly advises businesses on the privacy and cybersecurity aspects of environmental, social and governance (ESG) programs, ethical data use, machine learning and artificial intelligence, vendor contracting and management and business sales, combinations and acquisitions.

Ms. Ricci is responsible for providing advice on AI, privacy operations, technology contracts and secondary market transactions. BECU is currently the country’s fifth-largest credit union, with nearly 1.4 million members and $29 billion in assets. Ms. Ricci was formerly the chief legal officer at two prior tech companies and one financial services company and has held legal, risk and business roles at large financial institutions. The opinions expressed in this CLE presentation are the presenter’s own and do not reflect the view of BECU.