When it comes to privacy, the US isn’t exactly a superpower. The American Data Protection and Privacy Act (ADPPA) could be the first comprehensive federal privacy legislation that citizens, experts and digital rights activists have been calling for. Unfortunately, the law is currently being reviewed and it is far from possible to implement it in the foreseeable future.
Americans enjoy vastly different privacy regulations depending on where they live. This creates opportunities for data breaches and unscrupulous companies to exploit their customers’ most personal and confidential information. Especially now, a year after Roe fell against Wadepeople in the US need to know how to protect the privacy of their digital lives.
For this reason Private Internet Access (PIA)one of best VPN There are many services out there and decided to take a close look at how digital privacy legislation compares across the country. They noted that there is a “severe imbalance” in protection between states. Let’s take a closer look at the results.
Digital Privacy Protection: A Comparison of Regulations Across the United States
“In an increasingly digital age, where so much information about our lives is available online, it is vital that all states recognize the importance of digital privacy for their citizens,” said Charlotte Scott, Digital Rights Advocate at PIA.
Scott and the team believe that comparing levels of protection across US states could prompt lawmakers to act more quickly. In the 2nd annual reportResearchers have looked closely at all data protection laws that have already been passed (data protection, data securitydata brokers, corporate data collection policies and children’s privacy) and investments to strengthen the overall cybersecurity sector in each of the 50 US states.
Not surprising, California secured its place as the top state for privacy laws and significant investment in digital privacy and cybersecurity. In fact, it was the first state to introduce a comprehensive privacy law—the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)—in 2020.
The CCPA was then strengthened by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), which went into effect in January 2023, adding further obligations for businesses to protect consumer rights. Californians also benefit from the protection of other laws governing data handling, mandatory notifications of violations, marketing-related issues, and more.
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Connecticut, Colorado And Virginia They are following suit with their clear data sharing policies, proactive approach to data breaches, and investments in digital security.
Scott also praised the Massachusetts proposal Ban on buying and selling location data as a positive step forward for better digital privacy in the state. Currently, the burden is on users who want to share location using tools such as B. to prevent virtual private network (VPN) when browsing and opting out of location data collection by apps that do not need this information to function.
She said: “Better regulation, such as [Massachusetts’] The Location Shield Act is badly needed to restrict the buying and selling of location data.
At the end of the ranking is the USA with the worst data protection Arkansas, MississippiAnd Louisiana. Researchers noted a lack of progress in passing new laws to protect data and citizens’ privacy.
The situation here gets worse when you consider that these states have also enforced measures that further limit people’s digital privacy rights, such as mandatory age verification to access adult content online. Other legislative proposals of concern include the TikTok ban in Montanawhich, once enforced, will also affect citizens’ freedom of expression.
According to PIA experts, “These ill-conceived measures expose citizens to extensive data collection and heightened privacy risks.”
“Urgent need” for comprehensive online privacy protection across the US
Overall, the PIA report identified relevant and worrying gaps in privacy regulations across the US and underscores the “urgent need” for comprehensive federal privacy legislation.
According to Scott, the ADPPA could be a critical step in addressing this urgent need and creating a “better digital future, where privacy is respected and individuals can be confident in the security of their digital lives in the United States,” she said .
In an ideal world, we would see a path that would result in all states having the level of protection that the California Consumer Privacy Act provides.
Charlotte Scott, Private Internet Access
But as so often in these cases, the ADPPA is anything but perfect.
The so-called pre-emption principle is a concern because introducing a federal law could undermine the broader privacy protections that already exist, such as in California or Colorado.
“Given the severe imbalance in digital privacy regulation in the United States, we want to encourage lawmakers to find a way to move forward with the bill that doesn’t compromise the larger protections already in place in some states,” Scott told TechRadar.
“In an ideal world, we would see a path where all states would enjoy the level of protections that the California Consumer Privacy Act provides.”
While the ADPPA is still going through Congress, it is now certain that Americans living in the US are behind on digital protection and will need to take matters into their own hands Secure your privacy online– but hopefully not for too long.
