House Democrat introduces data privacy bill

The Information Transparency and Personal Data Control Act, which aims to create a national standard for data privacy, has been reintroduced by Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., reports The Hill. If approved, this bill would pre-empt state laws and would require businesses to tell their customers about the use of their information; maintain privacy policies written in simple terms; and obtain consent before sharing users’ sensitive information like health information or financial account numbers. The legislation would also allow people to opt-out from nonsensitive data gathering; boost funding and staffing resources for the Federal Trade Commission, as well as expand its authority; and require businesses, except smaller companies, to undergo a privacy audit. “Data privacy is a 21 st Century issue of civil rights, civil liberties, and human rights and the U.S. has no policy to protect our most sensitive personal information from abuse,” said DelBene. Several industry groups praised the proposed bill, with the Chamber of Commerce calling the legislation a “promising first step in bringing consumers, the private sector, and policymakers together to protect sensitive information from bad actors.”