Bass, Berry & Sims attorney Alex Davenport was quoted extensively in an article for Cybersecurity Law Report centered around new amendments to Montana’s state privacy law, along with additional context stemming from updates several other states are enacting as it relates to consumer data.
Amendments are being driven by “a focus on greater protections for sensitive types of data,” she said. Data about personal health and minors were a focus in 2024, and location data provisions have emerged as a central issue in 2025 amendments, with Colorado and Oregon making related changes.
Still, data pertaining to minors remains an area of concern for state privacy laws, including Montana’s 2025 update. “Any business entity processing minor data, unless it is subject to an exemption, will have to comply,” Alex said. The law also addresses safety designs by social media companies to mitigate what is communicated with minors.
In discussing compliance tips under Montana’s new law, Alex suggested that, as with any new privacy law or regulation, checking applicability and the company’s data map is essential. Many companies do not think they collect minors’ data, but they do not grasp that the state defines “minors” broadly “or that they are potentially capturing [minors’ data] through tracking technologies on their website.”
The full article, “Saddling Up for Montana’s Broad Privacy Law Update,” was published by Cybersecurity Law Report on June 4 and is available online (subscription required).