WASHINGTON (AP) — Two influential lawmakers from opposing parties have come together to create a new deal on legislation aimed at enhancing privacy protections for Americans’ personal data.
This comprehensive proposal, announced Sunday evening, would establish privacy as a consumer right and implement new regulations for companies that collect and utilize personal information. The initiative is a collaboration between Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell and Republican Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, both representing Washington state.
Cantwell heads the Senate Commerce Committee while McMorris Rodgers leads the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Although the proposal is still in draft form and has not been officially introduced, the bipartisan backing suggests that the bill could receive serious consideration.
Congress has been in talks for a long time about safeguarding the personal data that Americans regularly provide to various businesses and services. However, disagreements over the specifics have derailed previous proposals.
According to a one-page outline released on Sunday, the bill negotiated by McMorris Rodgers and Cantwell would enhance regulations mandating consumer consent before a company can collect or transfer certain types of information. Companies would be required to inform consumers about their data collection and retention policies and obtain consumer approval for significant changes.
Furthermore, companies would need to ensure that any algorithms used to analyze personal data are unbiased, and companies involved in buying and selling personal data would need to register with the Federal Trade Commission.
Consumers would also have more control over the use of their data under this measure. One provision of the proposal would enable consumers to opt out of targeted ads, which are advertisements tailored to them based on their personal data.
A new bureau focused on data privacy would be established within the FTC, which would have the authority to enact new regulations as technology evolves. The enforcement of the law would be the responsibility of the FTC and state attorneys general.
If passed, the new standard would supersede most state privacy laws, although it would not affect certain existing state laws that protect financial, health, or employee data.
David Klepper, The Associated Press
