Sens Warren, Sanders, Wyden, Whitehouse Renew Push to Protect Americans’ Sensitive Data From Greedy Brokers

Sens Elizabeth Warren (D-MA, Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) reintroduced the Health and Location Data Protection Act, legislation banning data brokers from selling Americans’ sensitive personal information. Data gathered by brokers has been used to circumvent the Fourth Amendment, out LGBTQ+ Americans, and stalk and harass individuals. Recently, some brokers have been caught selling the cellphone-based location data of people visiting abortion clinics, risking the safety and security of women seeking basic health care.The Health and Location Data Protection Act would: 

• Ban data brokers from selling or transferring health and location data and require the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to promulgate rules to implement the law within 180 days, while making exceptions for HIPAA-compliant activities, protected First Amendment speech, and validly authorized disclosures.
• Ensure robust enforcement of the bill’s provisions by empowering the FTC, state attorneys general, and injured persons to sue to enforce the provisions of the law.
• Provide $1 billion in funding to the Federal Trade Commission over the next decade to carry out its work, including the enforcement of this law.