Data Privacy

Democrats push to protect the data privacy of people seeking abortions

In Congress, Sen. Elizabeth Warren plans to reintroduce legislation to ban data brokers from selling consumers’ health and location data. A similar effort is underway in Michigan.

States’ privacy is a ‘continual conversation’ amid AI growth, officials say

More governments are embracing some form of privacy protection. It could be hard for those laws to keep up with emerging tech, but officials said that presents an opportunity to be forward-thinking.

A proposed bill looks to protect reproductive health data privacy

Michigan lawmakers will consider legislation that would prohibit the collecting or processing of an individual’s reproductive health data without obtaining their informed consent.

Amid tight budgets and talent gaps, the job of state technology chief just keeps expanding

Many state chief information security officers say they don’t have a reliable budget, staff or expertise to adequately protect against cyberattacks, according to a new survey.

Can states’ social media laws stand up to scrutiny?

Several states have tried to regulate the space in a bid to protect young people from the worst of the platforms. But whether their plans are workable, and can withstand legal challenges, remains to be seen.

Surgeon general says minors’ social media use is causing parental stress

Over the past two years, states have passed dozens of laws to protect young people from the worst of the platforms. Here’s how they’ve done it.

Texas’ $1.4B settlement with Meta highlights the need for data privacy protections, experts say

Attorney General Ken Paxton secured an eye-watering sum for Facebook’s alleged misuse of facial recognition tech. But observers argue that states need to go further and put more teeth in privacy laws.

‘Death by a thousand cuts’: A look at Big Tech’s efforts to influence data privacy

Maine’s struggles to pass such a law have familiar ring for Maryland lawmakers.

As mobile IDs proliferate, concerns about cybersecurity and data privacy mount

New York is the latest state to adopt a mobile driver’s license. But while the technology holds promise and is convenient for users, there remain concerns.

States are already collecting more abortion data. And HIPAA won’t always keep it private.

As states pass laws mandating health care providers compile more information on patients' pregnancies and abortions, experts warn of privacy concerns.

Banning TikTok won’t solve social media’s foreign influence, teen harm and data privacy problems

COMMENTARY | Protecting Americans cannot be accomplished by banning a single app. To truly protect their constituents, lawmakers would need to enact broad, far-reaching regulation.

National DELETE Act included in privacy discussions

California already has a law that gives consumers more control over the data held on them by data brokers. A federal effort would give Americans a central place to request it be deleted by all brokers.

National data privacy standard would preempt state efforts

A bill in Congress would supersede more than a dozen state laws. While most support a national standard, some state leaders and experts worry the legislation’s preemption provisions are too prescriptive.

Survey: Few states have ‘established’ privacy program

As states race to protect Americans’ data, the number of chief privacy officers has increased in state government. Still, a majority reported in a recent survey that they are building their programs.

Is the US privacy policy good enough?

COMMENTARY | A disjointed approach plagued by compromises is making American data privacy policy more complicated and less effective in delivering the protections people desperately want and need to see.

States push feds for greater online privacy protections for children

A bipartisan coalition of 43 attorneys general is urging the Federal Trade Commission to expand the definition of “personal information” to keep up with changes related to smartphones and social networks that play an increasing role in everyone’s life – including children.

With AI, anyone can be a victim of nonconsensual porn. Can laws keep up?

States around the country are scrambling to respond to the dramatic rise in deepfakes, a result of little regulation and easy-to-use apps.

4 considerations for launching an effective digital ID system

COMMENTARY | Successful digital identification programs need to provide equal access, security, interoperability and user convenience.

As privacy conversations become mainstream, data protection laws gain traction

The Garden State is the 13th to adopt a comprehensive data privacy framework, with more to go into effect this year and others set to follow with similar legislation.

States push ahead with social media laws amid legal challenges

Utah delayed its efforts for litigation purposes, while a judge blocked an Ohio law. But that hasn’t stopped other states, most recently Idaho and New York, from introducing their own restrictions to protect minors.