Free Practice Questions for IAPP CIPP-US Exam

The FTC is the primary federal agency responsible for enforcing privacy and data security laws in the United States. The FTC has broad jurisdiction over most commercial entities that collect, use, or share personal information from consumers. The FTC Act prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce, which includes unfair or deceptive privacy practices. The FTC can bring enforcement actions against companies that violate their own privacy policies, fail to provide adequate notice or choice to consumers, engage in unfair or harmful data practices, or breach consumers’ reasonable expectations of privacy. The FTC can also issue rules, guidelines, and reports on privacy and data security issues, as well as conduct investigations, workshops, and educational campaigns. References:

IAPP CIPP/US Body of Knowledge, Section I.A.1.a

IAPP CIPP/US Textbook, Chapter 1, pp. 9-12

FTC Privacy and Security Enforcement

The Red Flag Program Clarification Act of 2010 amended the original Red Flags rule, which required certain financial institutions and creditors to develop and implement a written identity theft prevention program. The Clarification Act narrowed the definition of creditor to include only those who regularly and in the ordinary course of business advance funds to or on behalf of a person, based on an obligation of the person to repay the funds or repayable from specific property pledged by or on behalf of the person12. This excludes creditors who advance funds for expenses incidental to a service provided by the creditor to that person3. References:

CIPP/US Practice Questions (Sample Questions), Question 133, Answer B, Explanation B.

IAPP CIPP/US Certified Information Privacy Professional Study Guide, Chapter 4, Section 4.3, p. 108-109.

Red Flag Program Clarification Act of 2010, Section 2, Subsection (b).

In the United States, there is no comprehensive federal law that regulates employee monitoring in the private sector. Instead, there are various federal and state laws that address specific aspects of monitoring, such as electronic communications, video surveillance, GPS tracking, and biometric data. Generally, these laws provide more protection for employees’ privacy when they are using their own devices or personal accounts, or when they are outside of work hours or premises. However, when employees are using company-owned devices or accounts, or when they are performing work-related tasks, employers have broad authority to monitor their activities, as long as they have a legitimate business interest and do not violate any specific laws. Employers are also advised to inform employees of their monitoring practices and obtain their consent, either explicitly or implicitly, to avoid potential legal disputes or employee backlash123 References:  https://www.jibble.io/article/us-employee-monitoring

https://www.worktime.com/most-asked-questions-on-us-employee-monitoring-laws

The correct answer is C because the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) is a state privacy law that grants California residents the right to request the deletion of their personal information that a business has collected from them. The CCPA applies to any business that collects personal information from California residents, regardless of where the business is located, as long as the business meets certain thresholds of revenue, data volume, or data sharing. Therefore, the social media platform that Sarah uses is subject to the CCPA and must honor Sarah’s deletion request, unless an exception applies. The CCPA also requires businesses to provide notice and choice to consumers about their data collection and use practices, and to respond to consumer requests within 45 days.

The other answers are incorrect because:

A is incorrect because the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a European Union privacy law that applies to the processing of personal data of individuals who are in the EU, regardless of where the data controller or processor is located. However, the GDPR does not apply to the processing of personal data of individuals who are outside the EU, unless the processing relates to the offering of goods or services to such individuals or the monitoring of their behavior within the EU. Therefore, the GDPR does not apply to Sarah’s personal data, since she is not in the EU and the social media platform is not targeting or tracking her in the EU.

B is incorrect because Section 5 of the FTC Act is a federal law that prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce. The FTC has used its Section 5 authority to enforce privacy and data security standards against businesses that violate their own privacy policies, misrepresent their data practices, or fail to protect consumer data from unauthorized access or disclosure. However, the FTC has not held that refusing to delete an individual’s personal information upon request constitutes an unfair practice per se, unless the refusal is inconsistent with the business’s privacy policy or representations, or causes substantial injury to consumers that is not reasonably avoidable or outweighed by countervailing benefits.

D is incorrect because the New York SHIELD Act is a state law that imposes data breach notification and data security requirements on any person or business that owns or licenses computerized data that includes the private information of a New York resident. The SHIELD Act does not grant New York residents the right to request the deletion of their personal information, nor does it apply to businesses that do not collect or hold the private information of New York residents. Therefore, the SHIELD Act does not apply to Sarah’s personal data, since she is not a New York resident and the social media platform may not have her private information as defined by the SHIELD Act. References:

U.S. Private-Sector Privacy, Third Edition by Peter P. Swire, DeBrae Kennedy-Mayo, Chapter 7, Section 7.2.1, pp. 183-186.

IAPP CIPP/US Certified Information Privacy Professional Study Guide by Mike Chapple and Joe Shelley, Chapter 7, Section 7.2, pp. 217-219.

The lawsuit, filed in 2014, claimed that Google violated the federal and state wiretap and privacy laws by scanning and indexing the emails of millions of students who used its Apps for Education suite, which included Gmail as a key feature12. The plaintiffs alleged that Google used the information from the scans to build profiles of students that could be used for targeted advertising or other commercial purposes, without their consent or knowledge12. The lawsuit also challenged Google’s argument that the students consented to the scans when they first logged in to their accounts, saying that such consent was not valid under FERPA, which requires written consent for any disclosure of education records12. Google denied the allegations and argued that the scans were necessary for providing security, spam protection, and other functionality to the users12. The case was settled in 2016, with Google agreeing to change some of its practices and policies regarding the scanning of student emails3. References: 1: Lawsuit Alleges That Google Has Crossed A ‘Creepy Line’ With Student Data, Huffington Post, 1. 2: Google faces lawsuit over email scanning and student data, The Guardian, 2. 3: Google data case to be heard in Supreme Court, BBC, 3.

 The correct answer is D. If the algorithm uses information about protected classes to make automated decisions, Acme must ensure that the algorithm does not have a disparate impact on protected classes in the output. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) protects consumers from unfair, inaccurate, and discriminatory treatment by creditors and other businesses that use credit reports. The FCRA prohibits creditors from using information about protected classes, such as race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, or because they receive income from a public assistance program, to make decisions about credit. In the case of Acme Student Loan Company, the algorithm is using information about protected classes to make automated decisions about whether to send payment reminder calls. This could have a disparate impact on protected classes, such as people of color or people with low incomes. For example, people of color may be more likely to be identified as being at risk of default, even if they are just as likely to repay their loans as people of other races. Acme Student Loan Company must ensure that the algorithm does not have a disparate impact on protected classes. This could be done by using a variety of methods, such as:

Testing the algorithm for accuracy, fairness, and bias before and after deployment

Providing consumers with notice and consent options for the use of their data

Allowing consumers to access, correct, or delete their data

Implementing accountability and oversight mechanisms for the algorithm

Ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations

References:  https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/how-to/ai-and-privacy-the-privacy-concerns-surrounding-ai-its-potential-impact-on-personal-data/articleshow/99738234.cms

https://pupuweb.com/iapp-cipp-us-qa-privacy-concerns-acme-student-loan-company-artificial-intelligence/

Redaction is the permanent removal of sensitive data—the digital equivalent of “blacking out” text in printed material. Redaction can be accomplished by simply deleting characters from a file or database record, or by replacing characters with asterisks or other placeholders. Redaction is often used to protect personal information, such as names, addresses, social security numbers, or financial data, on documents that are disclosed in litigation, such as pleadings, exhibits, or discovery responses. Redaction is required by courts to comply with privacy laws and rules, such as the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP), which mandate that parties must redact certain types of personal information from documents filed with the court or produced to the other party. Redaction is also a best practice to minimize the risk of unauthorized access, identity theft, or reputational harm that may result from exposing personal information in litigation. References:

When to redact, or not, disclosable documents in litigation - Stewarts

The approach to redaction – High Court guidance - Lexology

IAPP CIPP/US Certified Information Privacy Professional Study Guide, Chapter 3: Federal Privacy Laws and Regulations, Section 3.2: Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP).

Janice’s first draft of the privacy policy may be too restrictive and impractical for Fitness Coach, Inc. to follow, given the nature of its business and the expectations of its customers. By limiting the retention of personal information to one year and requiring written consent for any third-party sharing, the policy may create operational challenges and customer dissatisfaction. For example, customers may want to resume their fitness programs after a long hiatus and expect the company to have their previous records and preferences. Similarly, third-party contractors may need access to customer information to provide better services and tailor their classes. If the company fails to adhere to its own privacy policy, it may face legal consequences, reputational damage, and loss of trust from its customers. Therefore, the company should adopt a more realistic and flexible privacy policy that balances its business needs and its customers’ privacy rights. References:

Privacy Policy for Health Coaches

Privacy Policies for Online Coaches

Privacy Policy - Coaching.com

The Privacy Act of 1974 is a federal law that regulates the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information by federal agencies.

The Privacy Act of 1974 applies to records that are maintained in a system of records, which is defined as a group of records under the control of an agency from which information is retrieved by the name of the individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other identifier assigned to the individual.

The Privacy Act of 1974 grants individuals the right to access and amend their records, and requires agencies to provide notice of their systems of records, establish safeguards for the protection of the records, and limit the disclosure of the records to certain authorized purposes.

The Privacy Act of 1974 also establishes civil and criminal penalties for violations of the law, such as unauthorized disclosure, failure to publish a notice, or refusal to grant access or amendment.

The Privacy Act of 1974 does NOT require agencies to obtain the consent of the individual before collecting their personal information. However, the Privacy Act of 1974 does require agencies to inform the individual of the authority for the collection, the purpose and use of the collection, and the effects of not providing the information.

References: : [Overview of the Privacy Act of 1974]

Data classification systematically categorizes information based on sensitivity and importance to determine its level of confidentiality. This process helps apply appropriate security and compliance measures to ensure each category receives proper protection1. This process also helps to identify which personal data is subject to specific GDPR requirements, such as obtaining explicit consent from data subjects, or notifying data subjects in the event of a data breach2. By classifying data, Cheryl can also make more informed decisions about where to store the information on her computer system and the nature of controls that are required based on classification3. This way, she can protect her customers’ privacy while maintaining the highest level of service. References:

Data Classification for GDPR Explained

A guide to data classification: confidential data vs. sensitive data vs. public information

Why Is Data Classification Important?