Senate Republicans Introduce Weak ‘SAFE DATA Act’

September 18, 2020

Senators Roger Wicker, John Thune, Marsha Blackburn, and Deb Fischer have introduced the “SAFE DATA Act,” which relies on an outdated notice-and-choice model that allows companies to diminish the rights of consumers and use personal data to benefit the company but not the individual. "Senator Wicker’s SAFE DATA Act allows companies to collect any personal data it pleases as long as it discloses it in its privacy policy,” said EPIC Policy Director Caitriona Fitzgerald. "And it prohibits states from adopting or enforcing any data privacy or data security laws. The SAFE DATA Act is very weak compared to Senator Gillibrand’s Data Protection Act, Senator Brown’s discussion draft, and the Online Privacy Act introduced in the House.” EPIC's recent report on federal privacy legislation Grading on a Curve: Privacy Legislation in the 116th Congress evaluates federal privacy bills. EPIC has called for comprehensive baseline, federal legislation and the creation of a data protection agency.

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