Privacy legislation is a top priority for Americans—in fact, more than half of voters support a national data privacy law, according to a new poll conducted by Morning Consult and Politico. Yet, while there are many ways to control and protect privacy online, there is currently no national data privacy law.
Without a unified, clear, and flexible set of principles that offer consistent privacy protections, we risk a slowdown in technological innovation and cost increases that could trickle down to our wallets.
In the absence of a national standard, some states have passed state-specific privacy laws. This has had the unintended effect of creating a patchwork of inconsistent data privacy laws. Unfortunately, the internet doesn’t recognize state boundaries as outlined by state legislatures, so your data privacy rights can change the moment you cross state lines. Additionally, this confusing approach of state-specific laws does not protect information equally, and it provides uncertain protections for Americans.
The bottom line? We need a national privacy law that protects the personal information of every American—no matter where they live.
There are two things you can do right now to help protect your privacy.
- First, sign the petition to tell Congress: Private information should remain private, no matter where you are!
- Second, consider following some of these steps to take control of your digital footprint:
Find out more about your state’s privacy laws. Learn more about proposed laws in your state from the US Chamber of Commerce’s tracking map and determine how they will affect you.
Leverage Google’s information removal features. Google offers easy-to-follow resources that can help you remove personal information about yourself from online websites.
Download ad-blocker apps and browser extensions. From websites you visit to emails you send, websites can collect personal data about you in order to send you personalized ads. You can control this by downloading ad-blocking apps and software.
Make use of your wireless provider’s privacy tools. Many wireless providers offer a suite of privacy resources that can help you protect your smartphone, tablet, and other wireless devices. Learn more about your wireless provider’s privacy and security tools:
Don’t Forget to Take Action. We need a national privacy law to protect all Americans. If you want a consistent, clear, and standard framework to protect our privacy, you must speak up and demand that legislators take action.
