Congress wants to hear from everyone but consumers in a hearing on consumer privacy

The Senate Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on Sept 26 on “Examining Safeguards for Consumer Data Privacy,” intended as an opportunity for lawmakers to learn about “possible approaches to safeguarding privacy more effectively.” That’s great except for two small things. No consumers were invited to speak on safeguarding consumer data privacy. No consumer advocates were invited to speak on safeguarding consumer data privacy. Who was invited? That would be representatives of some of the country’s biggest tech and telecom companies — businesses that have a highly vested interest in collecting and exploiting as much consumer data as they can get their mitts on. A likely upshot of the hearing is that each company will make the case for why a federal data-privacy law should preempt state laws. And there’s a good reason for that. They’re terrified of a landmark privacy law passed by CA in June and set to take effect at the beginning of 2020.

If nothing else, here’s what lawmakers need to keep in mind: The federal government can and should set regulatory base lines for businesses. But states — as conservatives keep telling us — know their citizens best and should have the last word. Enact a federal privacy law. Please. But make it clear that any such law will be superseded by stronger provisions at the state level. Because Republicans believe in states’ rights. Right?

[David Lazarus is a business columnist for the LA Times]