Whitepages, a data broker, is being sued by a retired West Virginia police officer for allegedly publishing his home address in violation of the state’s privacy law. The lawsuit claims Whitepages exposed personal information of law enforcement personnel without their consent, violating West Virginia’s Daniel’s Law, enacted in 2021. The law is designed to protect active and retired law enforcement from having their home addresses and phone numbers disclosed, especially if it could lead to harassment or harm.
The West Virginia law is modeled after New Jersey’s 2020 legislation, also known as Daniel’s Law, which was enacted after a federal judge’s son was killed by a disgruntled lawyer who found her personal information online. This law aims to protect judges, police officers, and other public officials from potential harm by restricting access to their personal information. A federal version of the law, passed in 2022, also prohibits the sale of judges’ private information.
The lawsuit highlights the growing trend of legislation aimed at protecting the privacy of public servants. Maryland passed a similar law in 2023, allowing judges to request that their personal data be removed from public databases. Some privacy advocates believe these laws could expand to include protections for other public-facing professions, such as health officials and school board members, due to increased risks of harassment or violence.
Whitepages, which collects data from public records and other sources, is accused of allowing access to not only law enforcement officers’ personal information but also that of their relatives. The lawsuit reflects broader concerns about data privacy and the need for stronger protections, particularly in light of recent data breaches exposing sensitive information of millions of individuals. Privacy advocates argue that if such protections are available for public officials, average consumers will soon demand similar rights to protect their own personal data.
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