Bipartisan American Data Privacy and Protection Act Introduced

Democratic and Republican leaders on the House Energy & Commerce Committee have officially introduced the American Data Privacy and Protection Act. The bill would set data minimization obligations for companies that collect and use personal data, impose special protections for particularly sensitive data and the data of minors, establish digital civil rights safeguards, enable individuals to opt out of targeted advertising, and provide for enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission, state attorneys general, and in some cases individuals. “EPIC commends Representatives Pallone, Rogers, Schakowsky, and Bilirakis for their work on the American Data Privacy and Protection Act,” said Caitriona Fitzgerald, EPIC Deputy Director. “It is long past time for Congress to enact comprehensive privacy legislation. The United States faces a data privacy crisis—Americans have lost control of their data and online tracking is out of control. ADPPA’s focus on data minimization, strong protections for sensitive data, and civil rights protections will go a long way in curbing the data abuses plaguing Americans today. While there is still work to be done, the ADPPA is the most promising privacy legislation we’ve seen in many years and EPIC encourages Congress to move forward on this legislation.”