In The Technology Age, Video Could Become The New Audio

Many consumers have heard of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the statute that prevents a company from autodialing a consumer's cell phone without his or her prior express consent.  Less well know is the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA), a statute that prohibits "video tape service providers" from knowingly disclosing consumers' personally identifiable information.  See 18 U.S.C. § 2710.  Although the VPPA language may be somewhat antiquated, the statute has been refreshed and interpreted to apply to video and television streaming providers.  With its significant statutory damages of $2,500 per violation, the VPPA could become the consumer protection statute de jour.