Why does February 18 matter for India-based tech vendors?

It marks a shift from policy drafting to enforcement for several US state privacy laws. US clients will increase audits, tighten contracts, and expect faster data-rights handling. Firms that cannot show data maps, retention rules, and child-data safeguards may face penalties, lost deals, or longer sales cycles.

How is Maryland’s MODPA different from other US state privacy laws?

MODPA emphasizes strict data minimization and bans selling sensitive data. This combination pushes teams to justify each data field and to cut sharing. For Indian providers, it means trimmed collection, clearer notices, and fast deletion proof. The rule also raises documentation standards across engineering and legal teams.

What is the Connecticut LLM training disclosure requirement?

By July 1, 2026, companies must disclose when training LLMs with personal data. Teams should maintain dataset logs, consent claims, and update user notices. A clear, consistent statement reduces confusion and risk. Keep a change history, so disclosures match how models are actually built and updated over time.

What should SMEs do before the April 22 COPPA compliance deadline?

Review whether any product is child-directed. Refresh age gates, parental consent, and disable behavioral ads for children. Audit SDKs and data-sharing. Store consent proofs and test end-to-end flows. Update help pages so parents can reach you fast. These steps reduce complaints and keep US customer contracts secure.

Law and Government

February 18: Patchwork US Privacy Laws Enter Enforcement Phase

ByDanny Kontos February 18, 2026February 18, 2026

Data privacy regulations in the United States are entering an enforcement-heavy phase as of February 18. Maryland’s MODPA, Rhode Island’s RIDTPPA, Connecticut’s July 1, 2026 LLM disclosure rule, and the April 22 COPPA compliance deadline signal real legal and cost impacts. For India-based IT, SaaS, adtech, and AI firms selling into the US, the message is clear: align processes, contracts, and product design now. We explain what changes, why it matters, and how investors can assess readiness.