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The US isn’t exactly a superpower when it comes to data privacy protections. The US Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA) could be the first comprehensive federal privacy law that citizens, experts and digital rights activists have been demanding. Unfortunately, the Act is under review and there is no possibility of its implementation in the near future.
Americans enjoy vastly different privacy protections depending on where they live. This creates opportunities for data breaches and unscrupulous companies to exploit customers’ most personal and confidential information. Especially now, a year after the end of Roe v. Wade, people in America need to know how to protect the privacy of their digital lives.
That’s why Private Internet Access (PIA), one of the best VPN services out there, decided to take a closer look at how digital privacy laws compare across countries. They found that there is a “deep imbalance” of security between states. Let’s look at the results.
Digital Privacy Protections: A Comparison of Regulation Across America
“In an increasingly digital age where so much information about our lives is now 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 team believe that comparing the level of security across US states could prompt lawmakers to act faster. In the second annual report, the researchers listed all previously passed privacy-related laws (privacy, data protection, data brokers, companies’ data collection policies and children’s privacy) as well as strengthening the cyber security sector at large for each. Watched the investment closely for. 50 US states.
not surprising, California Secured its position as the best state for privacy protection laws and substantial investment in digital privacy and cyber security. In fact, it was the first state to enact a comprehensive privacy law—the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)—in 2020.
The CCPA was strengthened by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), which went into effect in January 2023, adding more obligations for businesses to protect the rights of consumers. Individuals in California also benefit from the protection of additional laws that govern data handling, mandatory notifications in the event of breaches, marketing-related issues, and more.
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Connecticut, colorado And Virginia Follow it because of its clear data-sharing policies, proactive approach to data breaches, and investments in digital security.
Scott also praised Massachusetts’ proposal to ban the buying and selling of location data as a positive step towards better digital privacy in the state. For the time being, the burden is on users to prevent location sharing by using tools such as virtual private networks (VPNs) while browsing and to disable location data collection from apps that do not need this information to function.
He added: “There is a great need for better regulation such as the (Massachusetts) Location Shield Act to limit the buying and selling of location data.”
Are at the bottom of the ranking with the worst privacy protections in the entire US Arkansas, MississippiAnd Louisiana, The researchers noted a lack of progress in enacting new laws to protect citizen data and privacy.
Here the situation gets worse considering that these states have also implemented measures that further curb people’s digital privacy rights, such as mandatory age verification for accessing adult content online. Other proposed laws include the TikTok ban in Montana, which once implemented will also affect citizens’ freedom of speech.
According to PIA experts, “These ill-conceived measures expose citizens to widespread data collection and increased privacy risks.”
The “urgent need” for comprehensive online privacy protections across America.
Overall, the PIA report found deficiencies in privacy safeguards across the US to be relevant and worrying, underscoring the “urgent need” for a federal comprehensive privacy law.
According to Scott, the ADPPA could be an important step in addressing this urgent need and establishing a “bright digital future, where privacy is respected and individuals can be confident in the security of their digital lives in the United States.” Is.
In an ideal world, we’d see a path for all states to have the level of protection offered by the California Consumer Privacy Act.
Charlotte Scott, Private Internet Access
Still, as is often the case in these cases, the ADPPA isn’t perfect.
The so-called pre-emption doctrine is a concern because enforcement of the federal law could undermine the more comprehensive privacy protections already in place in California or Colorado.
Scott told TechRadar, “Given the huge imbalance of digital privacy regulation across the US, we would encourage lawmakers to find a way to move forward with the bill that doesn’t remove great protections that are already in place in some states.” Is.”
“In an ideal world, we would see a path for all states to have the level of protection offered by the California Consumer Privacy Act.”
With the ADPPA still passing through Congress, it is now certain that Americans living in the States are left behind when it comes to digital security and that they need to take matters into their own hands to protect their privacy online. Should – though, hopefully not for too long.
