Even though human beings are, by far, the smartest species to ever walk the earth, we have notably failed to prove ourselves as perfect. In fact, our flaws pop on the surface time and time again, with their each appearance bringing a different level of detriment into play. Now, when you are going up against such a volatile dynamic, you would, of course, fancy having a foolproof defense mechanism, so to cater that need, we’ll introduce dedicated regulatory bodies throughout our spectrum. This was a proper game-changer, as having a well-defined governing structure instantly made us feel more protected than ever before. However, the whole utopia was significantly disturbed once technology turned up on the scene. With technology running the show, people got a chance to bypass the regulatory framework, while having to face no consequences whatsoever for doing so. The stated reality quickly nullified our progress, but fortunately enough; the authorities didn’t take this blow lying down. Instead, over time, they’ll find a way to befriend technology rather than making an enemy out of it. So far, they have been successful in their new pursuit, and one newly-proposed bill should do a lot in furthering the said momentum.
The US Energy and Commerce Committee has formally started the process of bringing a new Data Privacy and Protection Act, which, like the name suggests, will set specific standards for how we use data across the board. According to certain reports, if the measure is approved, it will allow all US residents to access, correct, and even request deletion of any personal data companies might have collected from them. It will also ask Federal Trade Commission to zero upon what forms of data these companies can possibly collect. Apart from these two facets, the measure will ban businesses from sending out targeted ads to children under the age of 16, while also making it mandatory to conduct an annual civil rights assessment on their system’s algorithms. Make no mistake; this isn’t the first time we are witnessing such a measure being coined around the regulatory block, but if we are to trust the lawmakers’ word, this is the closest they have ever reached to approving it.
“This proposal is the first serious, bipartisan, bicameral, comprehensive national privacy bill that directly confronts the sticking points which derailed earlier efforts,” said Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), chair of the full committee. “This legislation represents a fundamental shift in how data is collected, used, and transferred.”
Business groups have understandably opposed the proposal, considering it allows you to sue the company in an event of a data privacy violation. However, if there is one positive that companies can take away from this, it’s how the new framework is expected to help them in bypassing various different state laws, thus ensuring a more uniformed operation.