Montgomery, AL – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced this week that a coalition of 50 Attorneys General has reached a settlement with Marriott International, Inc. following a multi-year investigation into a significant data breach of the company’s guest reservation database. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which coordinated closely with the states throughout the investigation, has also reached a parallel settlement with Marriott.
Under the terms of the settlement, Marriott has agreed to implement stronger data security practices and will pay $52 million to the states involved. Alabama will receive $973,468 from this settlement.
“Companies must prioritize the protection of consumer data,” said Attorney General Marshall. “Consumers are required to give away massive amounts of sensitive information just to book a hotel room, rent a car, or buy a plane ticket. In return, these companies must regularly assess and bolster their ability to protect their consumers’ information. Particularly in today’s challenging economic environment, consumers shouldn’t also have to worry about their personal information being compromised.”