Prof. McGeveran Helps Organize Privacy Scholars' Brief in Key Supreme Court Case

Professor William McGeveran, an expert in data privacy law, was one of the organizers and coauthors of a privacy scholars' amicus brief submitted to the Supreme Court in Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins. The case concerns lawsuits under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) over inaccuracies in the profiles that employers use when screening applicants. The defendant, a company that prepares profiles, argued that a plaintiff needs to show direct financial injury in order to sue. The brief argues that such a cramped view of standing to sue would unravel the careful balance struck by Congress in drafting the FCRA, and could undermine the right to sue for privacy-related harms under numerous other statutes as well.