A new Republican privacy bill could be 'worse than no standard at all'

"The SECURE Data Act would require companies to collect only the user data they really need to perform the tasks they promise, let users see what information websites have on them and request its deletion, and require explicit opt in for collecting sensitive data like location or sexual orientation."

"This is the latest attempt in a years-long effort to pass federal privacy protections for digital consumers, after several prior iterations failed to get key congressional leaders on board."

"In 2024, a planned meeting to discuss the last major bipartisan privacy proposal was abruptly cancelled as the bill reportedly faced opposition from House Republican leadership."

"A separate bill, the GUARD Financial Data Act, deals specifically with consumer financial data."

Congress is working on a national data privacy law, the SECURE Data Act, which aims to enhance protections in certain states while potentially reducing them in others. The bill mandates that companies only collect necessary user data, allows users to view and delete their information, and requires explicit consent for sensitive data collection. The Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general would have the authority to take legal action against violators. This effort follows previous unsuccessful attempts to establish federal privacy protections.

Read at The Verge