Inside The Mind Of A Former Privacy Regulator | AdExchanger

"How do privacy regulators decide which companies to poke? Often, it's a consumer complaint. Other times, it's a headline. And, sometimes, it's just personal. Regulators are consumers, too, after all. But it's important to remember that every brush with a regulator doesn't turn into a full-blown case, said privacy attorney Tyler Bridegan. Bridegan spent nearly two years as director of privacy and tech enforcement for the Texas attorney general's office. He left government work and returned to private practice in October as a partner at Womble Bond Dickinson."

"Most interactions between companies and regulators end without a formal investigation or public settlements, Bridegan said, so long as companies engage openly and work to resolve concerns up front. If a regulator comes knocking, the best thing to do is respond quickly, be transparent, address concerns without getting defensive and fix what can be fixed right away."

"2026 "will definitely be a busy enforcement year," Bridegan said. But cooperation and common sense can still go a long way. "Don't overshare but also don't be so cagey that it looks like you're hiding things, and you'll be a lot likelier to get a resolution everyone is happy with," he said. "Ask anyone at a state AG's office and I think they'll tell you the same thing.""

Privacy regulators commonly initiate scrutiny because of consumer complaints, headlines, or personal motivations. Many company-regulator interactions conclude without formal investigations when companies engage openly and work to resolve concerns upfront. Prompt responses, transparency, addressing concerns without defensiveness, and immediate remediation increase the likelihood of a favorable outcome. Firms should avoid oversharing while also not appearing to hide information. Cooperation and common sense improve chances of resolution. Enforcement activity is expected to increase in 2026. Tyler Bridegan previously led privacy and tech enforcement at the Texas attorney general's office before returning to private practice.

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