Two Washington lawmakers, Senator Maria Cantwell and Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, are collaborating on the American Privacy Rights Act (APRA), a bipartisan effort to safeguard data privacy.
The bill aims to establish a national standard for data privacy rights, countering the current patchwork of state laws. If passed, consumers would gain control over how tech giants like Google and Meta utilize their personal data, including the right to opt out of certain data practices and to access and delete their data.
Moreover, the bill would require notification to individuals if their data is transferred or sold, addressing concerns about data sharing without consent. Cantwell emphasizes the importance of empowering consumers to dictate the use of their data and seek legal recourse for any harm incurred.
The legislators attribute the newfound urgency for a privacy bill to the rising use of AI, prompting widespread concern in Congress. Despite McMorris Rodgers’ impending departure from office, both lawmakers express optimism about passing the bill by the year’s end, with plans to introduce it in the House and the Senate in the coming weeks.
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