Supreme Court Reviews Scope of Video Privacy Law in Digital Commerce

Duluth Superior, MN, October 14, 2026 —

The Supreme Court is reviewing how the Video Privacy Protection Act of 1988 applies to digital commerce, including the sharing of online video-viewing data for targeted advertising. The law was enacted during the Blockbuster era to safeguard video rental privacy.

The dispute centers on the statute’s reach as video viewing and commerce take place online. The court is considering whether and how a law written to address video rental privacy applies to the sharing of viewing information in a modern digital setting. The review also addresses differing interpretations among lower courts about the law’s scope.

The lower court division makes the statute’s application a central issue in the Supreme Court’s review. The summary provided does not specify which courts reached differing interpretations or describe the reasoning behind those decisions. It also does not identify the parties to the case, the date of the court’s review, or when a decision is expected.

The question before the court concerns the reach of an existing privacy law, rather than a change to the statute described in the summary. The case involves online viewing data and its use for targeted advertising, but the available information does not state what particular data was shared, which entities were involved, or what advertising was shown.

No ruling or outcome is provided. Until the court’s decision is known, the summary establishes only that the justices are considering how the 1988 act applies to this digital context and addressing a split in lower court interpretations. The information available does not indicate how the court will resolve the issue or what specific consequences a ruling may have.

Story summarized from the original created by Sue Holt on www.wdio.com, see more information here.

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