The FTC finalized a consent order against Blackbaud Inc. for alleged security failures that led to a data breach exposing personal data of millions of consumers. Blackbaud must delete unnecessary data, implement a security program, and not misrepresent its policies. No monetary penalty was imposed.
Blackbaud is required to delete data it no longer needs, develop a comprehensive information security program, establish a data retention schedule, refrain from misrepresenting data security and retention policies, and notify the FTC of future data breaches.
In-house legal teams should review all vendor agreements where Blackbaud is a data processor or service provider (e.g., SaaS, fundraising, financial software contracts) and any customer-facing data processing agreements. Key clauses to scrutinize include data security obligations, breach notification timelines and procedures, data retention and deletion requirements, representations regarding security practices, and indemnification provisions. Given the order's focus on data minimization and deletion of unnecessary data, contracts may need amendments to explicitly require data minimization, mandate encryption of sensitive data (like SSNs and bank accounts), establish clear incident response protocols, and prohibit misrepresentations about security. Teams should also assess audit rights to verify compliance and ensure notification clauses align with the 'without unreasonable delay' standard implied by the FTC's criticism of Blackbaud's two-month delay.
Entity
Blackbaud Inc.
Also known as: Blackbaud
Industry
TechnologyOfficial Press Release
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/05/ftc-finalizes-order-blackbaud-related-allegations-firms-security-failures-led-data-breach
2023181 blackbaud final consent package
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/2023181_blackbaud_final_consent_package.pdf
ftc order will require blackbaud delete unnecessary data boo
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/02/ftc-order-will-require-blackbaud-delete-unnecessary-data-boost-safeguards-settle-charges-its-lax
Federal Trade Commission Enforcement Page
https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement
"Blackbaud Inc."
"failed to implement appropriate safeguards to secure and protect the vast amounts of personal data it collects"
"allowed a hacker to breach the company’s network and access the personal data of millions of consumers including Social Security and bank account numbers."
"The company waited nearly two months to notify its customers about the breach and then misled consumers about the extent of the data that was stolen."
The FTC rescinded its 2021 Policy Statement on Breaches by Health Apps and Other Connected Devices, which had purported to apply the Health Breach Notification Rule to health apps and connected devices that collect consumer health information. The rescission follows the Commission's 2024 update to the Health Breach Notification Rule, which already covers health apps and connected devices like fitness trackers, and implements an executive order directing agencies to eliminate obsolete guidance documents. No company was charged or penalized; this is a deregulatory action.
$12.0M
The FTC alleged that payment processor Humboldt Merchant Services knowingly processed payments for more than 1,000 shell merchant entities serving as fronts for fraudulent companies engaged in unauthorized billing scams, despite red flags including chargeback rates nearly 10 times higher than card-brand thresholds. Under the proposed stipulated order filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Humboldt will pay $12 million for consumer redress and is permanently banned from processing payments for merchants with a heightened risk of potential fraud.
$4.8M
The FTC charged Canada-based payment processor Nuvei Corporation and its subsidiaries with knowingly processing payments for fraudulent merchants, including more than $30 million in payments for the Reimage tech support scam from 2017 to 2023, as well as merchants making false earnings claims and impersonating government tax authorities. Under the stipulated order filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, Nuvei will pay $4.85 million for consumer redress, is banned from serving tech support telemarketers, and must implement robust merchant screening and chargeback monitoring practices. Note: this is a payments-fraud facilitation action under the FTC Act and Telemarketing Sales Rule, not a data privacy violation.
The FTC announced a seven-day extension of the public comment period on its proposed enforcement policy statement regarding personalized pricing, pushing the deadline from Sept. 18, 2026 to Sept. 25, 2026. Personalized pricing refers to using personal data to set prices based on what the company believes an individual consumer is willing to spend. This is a procedural announcement about draft agency guidance, not an enforcement action against any company, and no entity was named, no violation found, and no penalty imposed.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser joined the FTC and 22 state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against Amazon for manipulating the auctions used to set advertising prices, replacing actual auction results with higher prices since 2019 and overcharging nearly 1.2 million U.S. advertising customers. The FTC estimates total improper surcharges from 2018 to 2026 exceed $20 billion, with costs ultimately passed to shoppers through higher prices. The states seek a permanent injunction and monetary relief; no penalty has been imposed yet as this is a newly filed complaint.
$930K
The FTC finalized orders requiring CMG Media Corporation (doing business as Cox Media Group), MindSift LLC, and 1010 Digital Works LLC to pay a total of $930,000 for falsely claiming they offered an AI-powered service that could target ads based on conversations captured from consumers' smart devices, and that consumers had opted into such targeting. The orders also prohibit the companies from making misrepresentations about their advertising services, voice data collection, and consumer consent.