WASHINGTON – Washington state Senator Maria Cantwell and Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers drafted a bill restricting tech companies from collecting personal data.
The bill would restrict consumer data that technology companies can collect. McMorris and Cantwell said this will “give Americans the power to prevent the selling of personal information or compel its deletion.”
The agreement between Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell, who chairs the Commerce Committee, and Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the Republican chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, would give individuals control over the use of their personal information and require disclosure if data has been transferred to foreign adversaries.
“This bipartisan, bicameral draft legislation is the best opportunity we’ve had in decades to establish a national data privacy and security standard that gives people the right to control their personal information,” said Chairs Rodgers and Cantwell. “This landmark legislation represents the sum of years of good faith efforts in both the House and Senate.”
The measure would allow people to opt out of data processing if a company changes its privacy policy. It requires “affirmative express consent before sensitive data can be transferred to a third party.”
The bill also allows individuals to sue “bad actors who violate their privacy rights and recover money for damages when they’ve been harmed” and would stop “companies from using people’s personal information to discriminate against them,” the statement said.
The drafted bill requires “annual reviews of algorithms to ensure they do not put individuals, including our youth, at risk of harm, including discrimination.”
“It strikes a meaningful balance on issues that are critical to moving comprehensive data privacy legislation through Congress. Americans deserve the right to control their data and we’re hopeful that our colleagues in the House and Senate will join us in getting this legislation signed into law,” the chairs said.
