by Elena Miller, John Pavolotsky, Stoel Rives - Global Privacy & Security Blog - JD Supra

The new year is off to a quick start. February looms. Businesses are beginning to settle into 2026, and some trends (or at least outlines of such) are beginning to emerge. Businesses are digesting the AI and privacy bills that were signed into law last Fall. California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) litigation shows no sign of abating. Perhaps the failure of SB 690 (see below), and another year of runway, is driving litigation in this space. As of January 21, 2026, 40 data breaches (impacting more than 500 California residents) have been reported to the California Attorney General, compared to 23 for the same period in 2025. Privacy class action litigation usually follows soon after reporting, suggesting that 2026 will be another, if not more, active year in that space.