EPIC Testifies in Support of Strong Privacy Bill in Vermont

EPIC Deputy Director Caitriona Fitzgerald testified this week before the Vermont Senate Committee on Institutions in support of S. 71, An act relating to consumer data privacy and online surveillance.

Fitzgerald’s testimony highlighted the importance of the bill’s data minimization provisions and strong enforcement mechanisms, including a private right of action, and talked about the harms that stem from commercial surveillance.

“Advertisers and data brokers track our every click, and our data is used against us in ways that harm our wallets, opportunities, and rights,” Fitzgerald said. “At a time when policymakers are concerned about cost-of-living issues for their constituents, the impact of mass data collection and abuse on those costs cannot be ignored.”