Trenton, NJ — March 2025
The rollout of Daniel’s Law in New Jersey—legislation designed to protect the personal information of judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement officers—has led to a wave of lawsuits against real estate platforms, data brokers, and other online companies accused of failing to comply with the law. The ripple effects of these cases could significantly shape the future of digital privacy enforcement not only in New Jersey but across the United States.

What Is Daniel’s Law?

Enacted in 2020, Daniel’s Law was named after Daniel Anderl, the 20-year-old son of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas, who was tragically killed in a targeted attack at the family's home. The law allows covered public officials—judges, law enforcement, and their families—to request the redaction of their home addresses and personal information from public internet databases and websites.

Since its passage, thousands of public officials have submitted takedown requests, prompting both technical and legal challenges for companies that aggregate or display public records.

The Legal Fallout

As reported by WIRED, the state has filed or supported numerous lawsuits against companies for failing to remove sensitive information after takedown requests were filed. These companies range from real estate listing websites to data brokers that trade in online records.

Critics argue the law is overly broad, lacks clarity on compliance standards, and unfairly punishes small businesses that don't have the resources to track every redaction request or adjust data streams accordingly. Some defendants claim they never received takedown notices, while others argue that the burden of compliance is too great without dedicated state support.

“This is a serious warning shot for online data publishers,” said privacy advocate Matt Adkisson, who has been following the legal proceedings. “It’s not just about one state law anymore—this is the front line of a national conversation about who controls personal data online.”

A Test Case for the Nation

The legal challenges in New Jersey are being closely watched by privacy experts and tech firms nationwide. The U.S. lacks a federal data privacy law, leaving states like California, Colorado, and New Jersey to create their own regulatory frameworks. If New Jersey’s enforcement actions under Daniel’s Law are upheld in court, they could serve as a model for other states pursuing similar privacy protections.

Implications for Businesses and Platforms

• Real estate platforms may need to integrate more robust opt-out or redaction systems.
• Data brokers must improve their responsiveness to removal requests and audit their sources more rigorously.
• Tech companies should begin preparing compliance strategies for a potential patchwork of state-level privacy laws.

The cases also highlight a growing tension between public transparency and personal safety in the digital era—especially for individuals in high-risk professions.

Looking Ahead

As court decisions begin to emerge, they will likely clarify the legal boundaries of Daniel’s Law and set precedent for how far states can go to regulate online privacy. For now, legal experts advise companies to proactively update their privacy policies and response mechanisms to avoid costly litigation and reputational damage.

Source:
WIRED. (2024). The US State That’s Suing Companies for Posting Home Addresses Online. https://www.wired.com/story/daniels-law-new-jersey-online-privacy-matt-adkisson-atlas-lawsuits