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RandomFactor writes:

Commissioners for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) testifying before the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Wednesday called for a national privacy law.

Such a law would regulate how large tech and social media companies collect, manage, and retain user data.

The lack of a National Privacy Law

keeps the country from parity with the EU and its General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)...

...or, for that matter, with the state of California, with its California's Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

Several national privacy bills have been introduced in the past 12 months. One, called the Data Care Act (DCA), was introduced by 15 senators and has strong industry support from the likes of Facebook, Apple, Verizon, Google, Twitter, Mozilla and Microsoft. Another was introduced by Washington Senator Suzan Delbene, another by Senator Ron Wyden dubbed the Consumer Data Protection Act, and still another called the American Data Dissemination (ADD) Act by Senator Marco Rubio.

Besides consumer protection, the FTC is looking for more power. Commissioners asked Congress to strengthen the agency's ability to police violations, asking for more resources and greater authority to impose penalties.

The usual concerns attend the bills such as costs to small businesses and startups, compatibility with and effect on existing privacy laws, and resistance to continuing to allow California to dictate in the tech sector.

Original Submission