Senate bill would ban data brokers from selling location and health data

A invoice introduced by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) would prohibit info brokers from promoting Americans’ area and well being facts, Warren’s office environment stated Wednesday.

“Largely unregulated by federal regulation, information brokers acquire intensely individual details these types of as locale knowledge from seemingly innocuous resources including weather apps and prayer apps—oftentimes devoid of the consumer’s consent or know-how,” a invoice summary said. “Then, brokers convert all over and offer the knowledge in bulk to almost any inclined customer, reaping massive revenue.”

Citing the draft Supreme Courtroom ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, Warren stated “it is extra very important than at any time for Congress to defend consumers’ delicate data.”

Warren’s bill summary reported the proposed Health and fitness and Area Details Defense Act “forbids details brokers from marketing or transferring place facts and health information and calls for the Federal Trade Fee to promulgate rules to put into practice the law in 180 times, whilst making exceptions for HIPAA-compliant things to do, guarded To start with Amendment speech, and validly licensed disclosures.” The laws defines “knowledge broker” as any person “that collects, purchases, licenses, or infers information about individuals and then sells, licenses, or trades that facts.”

Cell carriers illegally marketed spot details

Data gross sales are already illegal in some scenarios. In 2020, just after the main wi-fi carriers T-Cellular, AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint were being caught providing their customers’ authentic-time spot info to 3rd-get together data brokers with out person consent, Federal Communications Fee Chairman Ajit Pai proposed fines totaling $208 million.

Warren’s bill would allow the FTC, state attorneys basic, and everyone impacted by site and well being information gross sales to file lawsuits seeking monetary damages and injunctions. The proposal would also give the FTC excess funding of $1 billion.

The invoice is co-sponsored by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Clean.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Separately, a lot more than 40 Democratic members of Congress past month termed on Google to cease gathering and retaining shopper area facts that prosecutors could use to establish girls who get hold of abortions.