Illinois Health System Is Stuck With Website User Tracking Claim

A patient convinced a federal district court to revive an Electronic Communications Privacy Act interception claim over Illinois-based Sarah D. Culbertson Memorial Hospital’s use of online trackers on its website.

The ECPA ordinarily shields parties to a communication—like the health system here—from liability, but not when its interception is done in furtherance of a crime or tort. Plaintiff Alana Hannant plausibly alleged the use of Google, Microsoft, and Meta Platforms trackers and the disclosure of her medical information was a violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, the US District Court for the Central District of Illinois said ...