When Privacy Policies Should NOT Be Published – Two Easy Lessons From The FTC's Nomi Technologies Case

This case has nothing to do with HIPAA, but should be a warning to zealous covered entities and other types of business entities trying to give patients or consumers more information about data privacy than is required under applicable law.  In short, giving individuals more information is not better, especially where the information might be construed as partially inaccurate or misleading.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a complaint against Nomi Technologies, Inc., a retail tracking company that placed sensors in clients' New York City-area retail stores to automatically collect certain data from consumers' mobile devices as they passed by or entered the stores.  Nomi's business model was publicized in a July 2013 New York Times article.  The complaint alleged, among other things, that although Nomi's published privacy policy stated that Nomi would "allow consumers to opt out of Nomi's [data tracking] service on its website as well as at any retailer using