DataBreaches.Net

Menu
  • About
  • Breach Notification Laws
  • Privacy Policy
  • Transparency Report
Menu

Second Circuit limits the right to medical privacy

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Dissent

We normally associate the constitutional right to privacy with abortion and other child-bearing and (and related) concepts. But that right also covers the right to avoid disclosure of certain personal matters, including medical information. This case asks whether a New York City schoolteacher could sue the Board of Education for publicizing her fibromyalgia. The answer is No.

The case is Matson v. Board of Education, decided on January 11. School officials disciplined Matson, a music teacher, for taking sick leave so she could conduct a symphony orchestra at Trinity Church. Her doctor said the stress was work-related. While she needed time off from work, she could still function as a conductor at the church. In disciplining Matson, school officials publicized a report that made reference to her disability, characterized as “chronic fatigue syndrome, known as fibromyalgia.” Matson does not sue over the discipline but, instead, the public report that mentions her disability.

Read more on Bergstein & Ullrich, LLP Second Circuit Civil Rights. It seems that unless you have a fatal or stigmatizing medical condition, you don’t have a right to medical privacy in the Second Circuit.

Category: Health Data

Post navigation

← Your personal data in the wrong hands
Information on Green River District Health Department patients exposed on the Web for months (update) →

Now more than ever

"Stand with Ukraine:" above raised hands. The illustration is in blue and yellow, the colors of Ukraine's flag.

Search

Browse by Categories

Recent Posts

  • Dutch Government: More forms of espionage to be a criminal offence from 15 May onwards
  • B.C. health authority faces class-action lawsuit over 2009 data breach (1)
  • Private Industry Notification: Silent Ransom Group Targeting Law Firms
  • Data Breach Lawsuits Against Chord Specialty Dental Partners Consolidated
  • PA: York County alerts residents of potential data breach
  • FTC Finalizes Order with GoDaddy over Data Security Failures
  • Hacker steals $223 million in Cetus Protocol cryptocurrency heist
  • Operation ENDGAME strikes again: the ransomware kill chain broken at its source
  • Mysterious Database of 184 Million Records Exposes Vast Array of Login Credentials
  • Mysterious hacking group Careto was run by the Spanish government, sources say

No, You Can’t Buy a Post or an Interview

This site does not accept sponsored posts or link-back arrangements. Inquiries about either are ignored.

And despite what some trolls may try to claim: DataBreaches has never accepted even one dime to interview or report on anyone. Nor will DataBreaches ever pay anyone for data or to interview them.

Want to Get Our RSS Feed?

Grab it here:

https://databreaches.net/feed/

RSS Recent Posts on PogoWasRight.org

  • Period Tracking App Users Win Class Status in Google, Meta Suit
  • AI: the Italian Supervisory Authority fines Luka, the U.S. company behind chatbot “Replika,” 5 Million €
  • D.C. Federal Court Rules Termination of Democrat PCLOB Members Is Unlawful
  • Meta may continue to train AI with user data, German court says
  • Widow of slain Saudi journalist can’t pursue surveillance claims against Israeli spyware firm
  • Researchers Scrape 2 Billion Discord Messages and Publish Them Online
  • GDPR is cracking: Brussels rewrites its prized privacy law

Have a News Tip?

Email: Tips[at]DataBreaches.net

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

Contact Me

Email: info[at]databreaches.net

Mastodon: Infosec.Exchange/@PogoWasRight

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

DMCA Concern: dmca[at]databreaches.net
© 2009 – 2025 DataBreaches.net and DataBreaches LLC. All rights reserved.