EPIC Asks UN to Question US About Privacy Violations by Private Firms

As part of a routine review, EPIC asked the United Nations Human Rights Committee to question the US about the failure to protect individuals against privacy violations by private industry. This year the Committee will review US compliance with human rights obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. EPIC explained that countries "have a duty to protect individuals against human rights violations by non-state actors," and pointed to Article 17 in the international agreement. "Despite record-breaking data breaches, identity theft, and extensive corporate surveillance, the U.S still lacks both comprehensive privacy legislation and a data protection authority," EPIC concluded. The EPIC 2018 Privacy Law Sourcebook provides a comprehensive overview of privacy laws in the US and around the world.