Shopify faces a privacy class action lawsuit
A US class action lawsuit that was previously dismissed was revived by the 9th Circuit Court, sparking discussion around data privacy regulation jurisdiction and online services.
Brandon Briskin from California claimed that when purchasing a connected device via Shopify, the company installed tracking software without obtaining consent as required by law. According to Briskin, the company then used the collected data for advertising purposes, including selling it to third parties.
Shopify argues that the case does not belong in a California court and should be filed in Delaware, New York, or Canada, based on the company’s operations. This claim was initially accepted by the court but later rejected by the full panel of judges, who determined that since the company chose to deploy its tracking capabilities in California, it could be sued there.
This is a crucial decision, expanding jurisdiction for online companies based on the plaintiff’s location. It demonstrated the shifting nature of data privacy regulation and the need to be prepared in a broader sense, regardless of where companies plan to operate their business.
