Quick refresh for those following along. We’re talking about HIPAA—the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act—which was created to facilitate sharing of PHI—protected health information—while limiting its unauthorized uses and disclosures. You may recall that HIPAA applies only to “covered entities” such as healthcare providers, health insurance plans, and the companies that help them carry out their operations, called business associates. Covered Entities. Business Associates. PHI. HIPAA. Got it. Now, if you find yourself in…

HIPAA. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. (That’s two “A”s, if you’re keeping track at home.) HIPAA is as convoluted as it sounds. It’s an act of congress regulating a third of the world’s largest economy. So of course it is! And whether you’re a health-tech founder, run a medical clinic, or just need to get in for your first annual checkup in a decade, HIPAA is part of your life. Over the next few weeks…

So you want to go viral? Or maybe just make it a little easier to share your content. Either way, social-media companies are here for it with plugins and widgets that you can conveniently install right on your site. These plugins allow users to connect with the website through their social network profiles. This lets users promote the page to their own social feed, whether it be from liking, sharing, pinning, tweeting, ticking, tocking ……

What’s the best way to get in front of customers? You could put up billboards. Put your face on a city bench. Maybe run advertisements on the FM radio? Surely some customers will see it. But you’re probably paying to get in front of a lot of non-customers too. What if you could, with just a few keystrokes, send a message directly to known customers, leads, and referral partners? Well you can, of course, through the magic…

Who do you think the most powerful person in California is? Gavin? Chamath? Arnold?! Since 2018 it’s probably been Alastair Mactaggart. Mactaggart has been the champion of data privacy regulations in California, which will significantly impact online businesses around the world. In 2018, Mactaggart proposed a ballot initiative aimed at creating an online privacy environment similar to that of the GDPR in the EU. This led to the Consumer Rights to Privacy Act of 2018. Mactaggart calculated…

In the wild west of Web 3.0, user data is oil. Liquid gold! Unfortunately… there will be blood. But you don’t have to become Daniel Plainview. As a digital-first entrepreneur, you rely on user data. But if you treat it without the respect it deserves you could be finished. (Hopefully not with a bowling pin.)

You’ve spent countless hours crafting your company’s website. You’ve coordinated contractors and teams. You are finally settled on a design that works. You’re ready to launch! Not so fast. Don’t overlook that small link at the bottom of your page that says Terms and Conditions. Or Terms of Service. Perhaps Terms of Use. Whatever you call it—TOS, TOU, or T&C—that easy-to-overlook link points to a contract with your customers that governs just about every aspect…

For digital-first entrepreneurs, the internet’s promise and power is nowhere more concentrated than in the majestic cookie. That’s right. The cookie. A small text file placed in your computer that enables logins and customization, affiliate links, product optimization, and elegantly targeted advertising campaigns. And abusive advertising campaigns. And intrusive monitoring. Which is why governments around the world have begun to reign in the mighty cookie. Cookie regulation, like privacy law more broadly, is evolving quickly….