Support Centre

Massachusetts

Summary

Law: Please note this State does not have a general privacy law in effect, you can visit USA State Law Tracker to monitor the progress of US State bills.

Regulator: The Massachusetts Attorney General ('AG')

Summary: Although Massachusetts at present does not have a general privacy act, it does have legislation aimed at ensuring the protection of personal data. A general right to privacy is established by §1B of Chapter 214 of Title I of Part III of the Mass. Gen. Laws, which provides that '[a] person shall have a right against unreasonable, substantial or serious interference with his privacy.' Furthermore, the Standards for the Protection of Personal Information of Residents of the Commonwealth under §17.00 of Title 201 of the Code of Massachusetts Regulations, adopted in 2009, sets forth prescriptive requirements for safeguarding personal data. Massachusetts also has sector-specific statutory privacy rules, in particular in relation to health and employment data, as well as a broad prohibition against 'unfair or deceptive practices' in Chapter 93A of Title XVI of Part I of the Mass. Gen. Laws, also known as the Consumer Protection Act, which is often applicable to practices involving personal information.