The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill Wednesday that would prohibit data brokers from selling Americans’ sensitive data to foreign adversaries such as China or companies controlled by them.
The data privacy bill passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee on March 7, along with accompanying legislation that would require TikTok to separate itself from Chinese ownership or effectively prevent it from operating in the United States. The motion from committee passage to House vote was in motion. It happens at lightning speed compared to the usual pace of parliamentary votes.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers said, “Today’s overwhelming vote shows that our opponents “It sends a clear message that we will not tolerate compromising U.S. national security and individual privacy by purchasing sensitive personally identifiable information from data brokers.” Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) said in a joint statement.
Members said the bill is “an important complement to a more comprehensive national data privacy law, and we will continue to work together.”
A more comprehensive data privacy law, the American Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA), remains stalled in committee.
Like the TikTok bill, the data privacy law targets China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
Privacy advocates welcomed the House’s passage of the bill, but also called for ADPPA to move forward.
Eric Null, co-director of the Privacy & Data Project at the Center for Democracy and Technology, said in an email that the House vote is “undoubtedly a step forward for American privacy.”
But Nuru added that “the fight is not over yet” because Congress has yet to pass a comprehensive privacy bill. The bill is “significantly overdue,” and by reducing the total amount of data, it is “more likely to protect Americans’ data from a variety of harms.” Leverage data within your online ecosystem, rather than placing restrictions on certain types of data sales between specific entities. ”
“Congress needs to enact comprehensive privacy protections, including strong data minimization standards, protect civil rights online, and provide strong enforcement to deter harmful commercial surveillance practices,” Nuru said. He added that he believes that “is a thing of the distant past.”
Brandon Pugh, director of the Cybersecurity and Emerging Threats Team and resident senior fellow at the R Street Institute, said the bill’s passage would prevent the same foreign adversaries from accessing large amounts of sensitive personal data at American Airlines. In an email, he said the move was in accordance with a White House executive order aimed at doing so.
“It will be important to follow how both of these efforts progress to assess what data is involved and how it is being implemented. ” he said. “That’s something for the Senate to consider.”
recorded future
intelligence cloud.
learn more.
