Bipartisan Bill Aims to Set National Data Privacy Standards in US

Published on: April 10, 2024

A landmark data privacy bill is set to change how personal information is protected in the US.

Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell of the Commerce Committee and Republican Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said Sunday they reached an agreement on a data privacy legislation aimed at curtailing the volume of consumer data that tech companies can harvest.

“This is a historic piece of legislation that we’ve been working on for several years,’ McMorris Rodgers said. “Online privacy protections shouldn’t differ across state lines. What we see is a patchwork of state laws developing, and this draft that Sen. Cantwell and I have agreed to will establish privacy protections that are stronger than any state law on the books.”

The bill would restrict companies to collecting, retaining, and using only the data necessary for delivering their products and services. This marks a departure from the current consent-based framework, which often overwhelms users with lengthy privacy agreements and frequent pop-ups seeking permission for online tracking.

The bill also grants Americans the right to either halt the sale of their personal information or demand its removal. It further mandates that individuals must have control over their personal data and requires companies to disclose any transfer of data to foreign adversaries, ensuring greater transparency and security.

The bill allows targeted advertising to continue but gives consumers the choice to opt out. It also calls for the creation of a new bureau within the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), dedicated to privacy issues. This bureau would have the authority to impose fines for privacy breaches, extending its oversight to include telecommunications companies as well.

For small businesses, there’s good news. According to a press release from McMorris Rodgers and Cantwell issued on Sunday, small businesses that do not trade in customers’ personal information will not fall under the regulation of this bill.

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• Source: https://www.safetydetectives.com/news/bipartisan-bill-aims-to-set-national-data-privacy-standards-in-us/