Landmark US Privacy Bill Unveiled: A Leap Forward for Digital Privacy Rights

Last week, two influential members of the U.S. Congress unveiled a draft bipartisan, bicameral federal privacy bill, in a crucial step forward for safeguarding individuals’ privacy rights in the digital era.

🏛 U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., introduced the bill, aiming to establish clear standards for data privacy and security, granting individuals greater control over their personal information.

📜 In their joint statement, Rodgers and Cantwell emphasized the bipartisan nature of the effort, highlighting its potential to address longstanding concerns and move forward with comprehensive federal data privacy legislation. The proposed American Privacy Rights Act encompasses provisions such as data minimization requirements, empowering consumers to opt out of targeted advertising, and subject rights including the ability for individuals to access, correct, export, or delete their personal information. The bill also includes measures to address data security , proposes the introduction of a national data broker registry, and sets out safeguards against discrimination in respect of algorithmic decision-making.

✒ Significantly, the bill also introduces a private right of action, which can be exercised by the FTC, state attorneys and individuals and underscores the bill’s commitment to accountability and enforcement.

While there’s a long way to go still, this surprise announcement takes us one small step closer to answering that burning question of whether we will see a US Federal privacy law any time soon.