New legislation backed by Republican and Democrat lawmakers aims to create a single national data privacy standard to give Americans better control over how their private information is used.
On April 7, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) unveiled the American Privacy Rights Act, establishing “uniform national data privacy rights,” according to an April 7 statement. The single national privacy standard is stronger than similar laws in any state, it said. The proposal gives Americans “control over where their personal information goes, including the ability to prevent the transfer or selling of their data. The bill also allows individuals to opt out of data processing if a company changes its privacy policy.”
