In July 2026, Spokeo, a prominent online people-search website, agreed to a $10 million preliminary settlement to resolve a massive, multi-state class action lawsuit. The settlement puts an end to over five years of complex litigation centered around the unauthorized commercial use of everyday people's personal information. For individuals who are increasingly concerned about how their names, addresses, and backgrounds are leveraged for corporate profit, this resolution marks a major legal victory and a step toward establishing stronger digital boundaries.

The Lawsuit: The Controversy Over "Teaser Profiles"

Unlike most cases involving individuals' personal data, the core of the dispute in this case did not involve a malicious cyberattack, a database leak, or a traditional data breach exposing sensitive financial records to hackers. Instead, the plaintiffs took direct aim at Spokeo’s aggressive marketing practices and business model. As a massive data aggregator, Spokeo collects, compiles, and cross-references vast amounts of publicly available information—including names, current and past addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses—into easily searchable public profiles.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit alleged that Spokeo utilized their personal information to generate what they called "teaser profiles". According to court filings, Spokeo actively displayed these teaser profiles, which prominently featured real names and home addresses, to casual site visitors as a targeted marketing tactic. The ultimate goal was to entice these visitors into purchasing paid premium subscriptions to the Spokeo database. The plaintiffs fundamentally argued that by weaponizing their personal identities and data to promote a commercial service without their knowledge or consent, Spokeo had crossed a critical legal and ethical line, causing harm stemming from a distinct loss of control over their personal information.

Right of Publicity: A Unique Legal Approach

Rather than relying on standard consumer protection or data breach statutes, the plaintiffs leveraged a unique and highly effective legal framework: state right of publicity laws. These specific statutes generally prohibit corporations and individuals from utilizing an individual's name, likeness, or identity for advertising or commercial gain without obtaining prior authorization.

The original lawsuit was filed in November 2021 by three plaintiffs asserting claims under California, Ohio, and Indiana law. Spokeo aggressively fought the claims, initially moving to dismiss the case by arguing that the plaintiffs lacked legal standing. However, the court denied the motion to dismiss in April 2022, paving the way for extensive written discovery, document production, depositions, and expert analysis. In 2024, Judge William H. Orrick certified a class of Californians and a class of Ohioans—totaling roughly 275,000 individuals—allowing the case to move forward. Ultimately, the proposed settlement grew to encompass, and resolve right of publicity claims across, nine states: Alabama, California, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Nevada, Ohio, South Dakota, and Washington.

Breaking Down the $10 Million Settlement

Under the terms of the proposed agreement, Spokeo will be required to establish nine state-specific settlement funds that cumulatively amount to $10 million. Crucially, the settlement designates these funds as entirely non-reversionary, which means that any unclaimed money left over after the initial claims period will not simply be returned to Spokeo's pockets. Instead, any remaining funds will be systematically redistributed to claiming class members where practicable, or otherwise handled according to the specific directives of the court.

How much will individual class members actually receive? The exact payouts will inherently depend on the total number of valid claims filed in each respective state, as well as necessary deductions for attorneys' fees, administrative costs, and court-approved incentive awards. However, assuming an estimated 10% claims rate, legal filings suggest that individual recoveries could range anywhere from tens of dollars to well over $1,000, depending heavily on the state jurisdiction.

Beyond the financial compensation, the settlement also demands meaningful injunctive relief designed to fundamentally alter Spokeo's business practices. Moving forward, Spokeo has formally agreed to modify its search algorithms and user interfaces. When a user conducts a name search, Spokeo must now alter its purchase and payment pages so that the full names and home addresses of individuals in the affected injunction classes will no longer be visible during that critical portion of the transaction.

The Broader Implications for the Information Economy

This landmark $10 million settlement sends a powerful, industry-wide message to data brokers, aggregators, and tech companies alike. The core takeaway is clear: simply aggregating publicly available data does not give a corporation carte blanche to use everyday people's identities as free advertising material. As noted by Morgan & Morgan attorneys representing the plaintiffs following the resolution, "Companies navigating today's information economy routinely put their profits ahead of individuals' rights, and this case is no different. We are pleased that this resolution holds Spokeo accountable for its alleged invasions of people's rights to their information".

For average consumers, this multi-million dollar settlement underscores the critical importance of staying informed and vigilant about thwir digital rights. As the complex legal landscape surrounding data privacy and the right of publicity continues to rapidly evolve, holding powerful data aggregators to strict legal standards will remain absolutely essential in preventing the unauthorized monetization of people's personal lives and identifying information.

The post Spokeo’s $10 Million Settlement: A Major Win for Data Privacy and the Right of Publicity appeared first on Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) in California, MCLE Los Angeles, CLE Orange County, Irvine & San Francisco.

The Alabama Public Information Act underwent significant revisions effective October 1, 2024. These changes aim to enhance transparency and public access to government records while addressing concerns related to privacy and security. Here's a breakdown of the key modifications:

Expanded Scope of Public Records

The revised law now explicitly defines "public record" to include a broader range of materials, such as:

• Electronic communications: Emails, texts, instant messages, and social media posts related to official government business.
• Audio and video recordings: Recordings of public meetings, interviews, and other official government activities.
• Data bases and data sets: Electronic records containing information collected, maintained, or used by government agencies.

This expansion aims to ensure that the public has access to a more comprehensive set of government records.

Increased Public Access

The revised law strengthens the public's right to inspect and copy public records. It includes provisions that:

• Reduce waiting periods: Government agencies are now required to respond to public record requests within a shorter timeframe, typically 7-10 business days.
• Clarify fees: The law provides clearer guidance on the fees that agencies can charge for copying and inspecting public records, helping to prevent excessive charges.
• Establish appeal procedures: Individuals who are denied access to public records can now appeal the decision to a designated state official.

These changes make it easier for the public to obtain government information and hold officials accountable.

Privacy and Security Protections

While the revised law expands public access, it also includes provisions to protect privacy and security interests. These include:

• Exemptions for sensitive information: Certain types of information, such as personal information, trade secrets, and law enforcement records, may be exempt from disclosure.
• Confidentiality agreements: The law allows for the use of confidentiality agreements when necessary to protect sensitive information.
• Data security requirements: Government agencies are required to implement reasonable security measures to protect public records from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

These measures help to balance the public's right to know with the need to protect sensitive information.

Impact of the Changes

The revisions to the Alabama Public Information Act are expected to have a significant impact on transparency and accountability in the state. By expanding the definition of public records, increasing public access, and protecting privacy and security interests, the law aims to promote a more open and responsive government.

It is important for both government officials and the public to understand the revised law and its implications. Government agencies must ensure compliance with the law and adopt policies and procedures to facilitate public access to records. The public should be aware of their rights under the law and how to request public records.

The Alabama Public Information Act serves as a valuable tool for citizens to hold their government accountable and ensure that public officials are acting in the best interests of the people. By understanding and utilizing this law, individuals can play an active role in shaping the future of their state.

Read the full text of Section 36-12-40 of the Code of Alabama.

The post Alabama Revises Its Public Records Act appeared first on Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) in California, MCLE Los Angeles, CLE Orange County, Irvine & San Francisco.

Join us for a new, free webinar, "How Data Can Help You Win: Finding Background and Investigative Information to Support Your Cases and Transactions" on Wed, Jun 17, 2020 at 2:00 pm EDT at (https://linkon.in/3hmPMXe). (This program is not available for CLE credit.)

Vice-President of CLEwebinars.com Carole Levitt, a leading educator, attorney, law librarian, and ABA author on Internet investigative and legal research, demonstrates how investigative research databases help attorneys quickly and cost-effectively uncover comprehensive background information they need for their cases and transactions.

Carole will be joined by Aleck Ragsdale, a professional training specialist with TransUnion for 5+ years, who has a strong focus and expertise in Law Enforcement and legal investigation training. He has assisted and presented to customers nationwide in their use and understanding of TransUnion data to solve complex business challenges.

After you sign up for this webinar, you'll receive a discount code for 25% off the price of Levitt's new ABA Law Practice Division book, "Internet Legal Research on a Budget: Free and Low-Cost Resources for Lawyers." The discount code will be active through August 31, 2020.

The post Free Investigative Research Webinar | June 17, 2020 appeared first on Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) in California, MCLE Los Angeles, CLE Orange County, Irvine & San Francisco.

Access to these records will be free until midnight, Monday night, September 7, 2015  ET. After that, access will require a paid Ancestry.com membership. A 14-day free trial is available.

It's important to remember that any database, even those touting "millions of documents from all 50 states" is not going to be comprehensive or complete. It might have documents only from select jurisdictions form within a particular state or even just a limited number of documents from a particular jurisdiction.

To sweeten the offer (and apparently bulk up the search results), Ancestry is also offering free access to "ALL U.S. birth, marriage, and death records" during the same time period.

Our test searches returned numerous results from these other databases but none from the wills and probate document collection.

While searching and viewing cursory results are free, one must still register (or already have) a free Ancestry.com account in order to view the full results.

The post Ancestry Offers Free Access to Database of Wills and Probate Records For a Limited Time appeared first on Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) in California, MCLE Los Angeles, CLE Orange County, Irvine & San Francisco.

The FBI’s UCR Program is a nationwide, cooperative statistical effort of more than 18,000 city, university and college, county, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies voluntarily reporting data on crimes brought to their attention. Since 1930, the FBI has administered the UCR Program and has continued to assess and monitor the nature and type of crime in the nation. The program’s primary objective is to generate reliable information for use in law enforcement administration, operation, and management; over the years, however, the data have become one of the country’s leading social indicators. Criminologists, sociologists, legislators, municipal planners, the media, and other students of criminal justice use the data for varied research and planning purposes.

In 2013, law enforcement agencies active in the UCR Program represented more than 309 million United States inhabitants (98.0 percent of the total population). The coverage amounted to 98.8 percent of the population in Metropolitan Statistical Areas, 92.9 percent of the population in cities outside metropolitan areas, and 93.5 percent of the population in nonmetropolitan counties.

The data are notoriously dense. National Public Radio (NPR) notes that, "The FBI collects clearance statistics for its annual 'Uniform Crime Report,' but it doesn't break those numbers down by jurisdiction. That makes it hard for people to compare local police departments' clearance rates, or track them over time." To make the data more accessible, NPR has created a tool to locate information about the clearance rates for crimes in a particular geographic area.

The FBI UCR data can be searched by location name (e.g., Boston, MA) or agency (e.g., Colorado State Patrol).

Currently the tool includes only available data through 2013. NPR plans to add 2014 data when they are available.

NPR offers a number of caveats for users to keep in mind when using their crime reporting search tool.

• The quality of American crime statistics is notoriously uneven, and these are no exception. Sometimes cities fail to report, or their data are rejected because of errors. For instance, this database shows the New York Police Department clearing zero homicides in 2011 and 2012 — which was clearly not the case.
• These data follow the standards of the FBI's Uniform Crime Report. One of the idiosyncrasies of UCR Summary data is that clearances are credited to the year in which the crime was cleared, not the year in which it was committed. As a result, it's sometimes possible for a city to clear more murders than were committed in a year, for a clearance rate above 100 percent.
• Some cities will claim different clearance rates, based on another federal statistical standard known as the NIBRS. We decided to stick with the more widely-used UCR Summary standard, to allow people to compare like with like. (Here is an explanation of the differences between UCR and NIBRS.)
• We've left out clearance statistics for sexual assault, because experts in the field have advised us that reporting inconsistencies make those data too unreliable.

The post How Many Crimes Do Your Police ‘Clear’? | New Tool Allows You to Find Out appeared first on Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) in California, MCLE Los Angeles, CLE Orange County, Irvine & San Francisco.

Once expunged, record of those convictions would no longer be available to members of the public or prospective employers requesting Minnesota Public Criminal History reports. Law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and judges would still have access to complete criminal records that would still include the expunged convictions.

The Minnesota Judicial Branch's Self Help Center offers a colleciton of expungement resources. The law took effect January 1, 2015.

The post New Minnesota Expungement Law Allows for Sealing of Certain Criminal Records appeared first on Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) in California, MCLE Los Angeles, CLE Orange County, Irvine & San Francisco.

The database is searchable by:

• Name
• Job Title
• Agency/Department
• Gross Amount

The newspaper obtained the data from the Ohio Department of Administrative Services through an Ohio Public Records Law (Freedom of Information Act) request.

Carole Levitt and Mark Rosch will be presenting two half-day MCLE seminars in conjunction with the Cincinnati Bar Association on Thursday, November 20, 2014:

• 9:00 AM-12:15 PM
  Cybersleuth's Guide to the Internet: Master Google & Other Sites CLE
• 1:15 PM-4:30 PM
  Cybersleuth's Guide to the Internet: Investigative/Legal Research CLE

The post Ohio Public Employee Salary Database Available appeared first on Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) in California, MCLE Los Angeles, CLE Orange County, Irvine & San Francisco.

2014 BEST OF THE WEB AWARDS

State Portal Category:

• 1st Place: State of Hawaii    
• 2nd Place: State of Utah              
• 3rd Place: State of Arkansas
• 4th Place: State of Texas
• 5th Place: State of Maryland

County Portal Category:

• 1st Place: Oakland County, Mich.       
• 2nd Place: Sacramento County, Calif.         
• 3rd Place: King County, Wash.     
• 4th Place: Wake County, N.C.  
• 5th Place: Grand County, Colo.

City Portal Category:

• 1st Place: District of Columbia        
• 2nd Place: City of Los Angeles, Calif.
• 3rd Place: City of Boulder, Colo.
• 4th Place: City of Santa Barbara, Calif.
• 5th Place: City of Riverside, Calif.

Full descriptions of the features and functions that made these sites award winners can be found here.

The post Center for Digital Government Announces Outstanding Government Web Sites appeared first on Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) in California, MCLE Los Angeles, CLE Orange County, Irvine & San Francisco.

The popular Internet research manual “The Cybersleuth's Guide to the Internet” is now available as an e-book in the .epub and .mobi formats.

The retail price of the ebook is $49.95 at the publisher’s Web site -   http://linkon.in/1fAX8mU. Discounts are available to attendees of the authors live MCLE seminars (and other owners of print copies of the latest edition of "The Cybersleuth's Guide to the Internet") via a discount code found in the print book's 12th edition.

“The Cybersleuth’s Guide to the Internet” features extensive reviews of the best investigative, background, and legal research resources available for free on the Internet. Unlike others guides which present sites as little more than a list of links, this book offers tips on how to effectively use those sites and includes hundreds of screen-shots to illustrate the step-by-step usage of many of the sites discussed. The book also examines many lesser-known, and sometimes overlooked, search features of popular search engines like Google.

Now, as an ebook, readers with an Internet connection can click any URL in the book and get directly to the site discussed.

"Anyone can benefit from using The Cybersleuth's Guide to the Internet, regardless of their previous Internet usage. The ebook is a useful tool for any legal professional, legal educator, law student, business person, or consumer handling their own legal or investigative matter," said Carole Levitt, the book's co-author. "For the beginning searcher, it covers many overlooked features of Web browsers, the 'mechanics' of navigating the Internet, and basic research strategies and tools. For 'power searchers,' it covers more advanced search strategies and reveals tips and tricks for getting the most out of many of the sites."

"Whether you're a business person or a legal professional, keeping pace with rapidly changing resources on the Internet can give you a leg up on your competition," continued co-author Mark Rosch. "The full-text search capability of e-books gives readers the ability to find just about any resource they need by name or topic anywhere in the book."

Print versions of the book are also still available from the publisher at http://bit.ly/9uihD4.

Levitt and Rosch are nationally recognized authors and speakers about the Internet. In 1999, they formed Internet For Lawyers (IFL) and have been training professionals in cooperation with corporations, law firms, legal associations, adult education schools, library schools, and library associations nationwide ever since. In addition to this book, they are also co-authors of five other books published by the American Bar Association's (ABA) Law Practice Division – “Google Gmail and Calendar in One Hour for Lawyers,” (2013); “Google For Lawyers,” (2010); Find Info Like a Pro, Volume 1,” (2010); Find Info Like a Pro, Volume 2,” (2011); and “The “Lawyer’s Guide to Fact Finding on the Internet,” (2 editions – 2003, 2006).

Levitt and Rosch are available to corporations, law firms, and associations for live, in-person seminars to teach the topics covered in their books. For more information about the authors' schedules and presentation topics, visit https://www.netforlawyers.com.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Qualified outlets should contact press@netforlawyers.com to request a review copy of the ebook.

The post e-Book Puts Internet Investigative, Background, Legal Research at Your Fingertips | Popular Research Book “The Cybersleuth’s Guide to the Internet” Now Available For iPad, Kindle, Nook and Other Popular E-Readers appeared first on Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) in California, MCLE Los Angeles, CLE Orange County, Irvine & San Francisco.

• First Name
• Last Name
• Title
• Year/Quarter (back to the 3rd quarter of 2009)
• State
• Party
• Committee
• Offices

The database can also be browsed by:

• Members name
• Committee Name
• Offices

The database does not include corollary information for the U.S. Senate.

The Sunlight Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that uses the power of the Internet to catalyze greater government openness and transparency, and provides new tools and resources for media and citizens, alike.

The post Sunlight Foundation Offers Directory of Congressional Staffers appeared first on Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) in California, MCLE Los Angeles, CLE Orange County, Irvine & San Francisco.