Tell Congress:
We need privacy now
Big Tech and Big Cable are recording, analyzing and selling almost everything we do. By turning our private human experiences into data and auctioning it off to the highest bidder (often without our consent), powerful corporations and bad actors are gaining new powers to control and manipulate us. Sign the petition now to tell your members of Congress: “I urge you to support strong data privacy legislation that gives users—not companies—access to and control of their data.”
What’s happening
The United States Constitution explicitly protects the right to privacy. But consumer privacy laws have not kept pace with technology, allowing tech giants, government agencies, mega-corporations, and bad actors to abuse our most sensitive information for their personal gain. Even companies that we think we can trust often repeatedly neglect to protect our confidentia data, leaving us vulnerable to breaches from unauthorized and malicious individuals. Following years of inaction, lawmakers in Congress have finally begun drafting bills to stop this. But will they pass a law that puts people in control of their data, or will they pass a pro-industry law that weakens our privacy? The answer is up to us.
We’ll track the proposals here and challenge any federal bill that seeks to weaken consumer and state-level protections.
Bill/Law
Requires user consent for data collection & sharing?
Minimizes amount of data collected and stored?
Establishes user’s right to delete data?
Requires companies to notify users of breaches?
Ensures user’s right to sue?
Permits state-level privacy laws?
Gold Standard
Requires user consent for data collection & sharing?
Minimizes amount of data collected and stored?
Establishes user’s right to delete data?
Requires companies to notify users of breaches?
Ensures user’s right to sue?
Permits state-level privacy laws?
Status:
Requires user consent for data collection & sharing?
Minimizes amount of data collected and stored?
Establishes user’s right to delete data?
Requires companies to notify users of breaches?
Ensures user’s right to sue?
Permits state-level privacy laws?
Status:
Introduced
Requires user consent for data collection & sharing?
Minimizes amount of data collected and stored?
Establishes user’s right to delete data?
Requires companies to notify users of breaches?
Ensures user’s right to sue?
Permits state-level privacy laws?
Status:
Introduced
Requires user consent for data collection & sharing?
Minimizes amount of data collected and stored?
Establishes user’s right to delete data?
Requires companies to notify users of breaches?
Ensures user’s right to sue?
Permits state-level privacy laws?
Status:
Introduced
Requires user consent for data collection & sharing?
Minimizes amount of data collected and stored?
Establishes user’s right to delete data?
Requires companies to notify users of breaches?
Ensures user’s right to sue?
Permits state-level privacy laws?
Status:
Introduced
Note:
Debunking the myths
It’s time for governments to put people—not powerful corporations— in control of their data. The European Union and California state have already passed strong data protection laws, and now U.S. lawmakers in Congress have begun drafting their own bills. But lobbyists representing the tech, telecom, and advertising industries are doing everything they can to weaken consumer and state-level protections so they can keep mining our data for their own financial gain. We need Congress to pass a strong data privacy law based on facts, not industry-fueled myths.
Myth
There is no such thing as “privacy” in the digital age.
Fact
Privacy has definitely taken a hit in the digital age. Meanwhile, tools like VPNs, Signal, DuckDuckGo, and Brave are helping people reduce their online footprint and take back control of their sensitive information. But EVERYONE deserves privacy, not just tech-savvy people who avail themselves of these tools. That’s why we’re targeting Congress to pass a law that protects everyone.
Myth
People with nothing to hide have nothing to fear.
Fact
Whistleblower Edward Snowden has said: “Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say.” Even if you think you have nothing to hide, your data could be used in the near future by a government to manipulate you, by a corporation to discriminate against you or by a common criminal to rob you.
Myth
“Data privacy laws” are bad for the economy.
Fact
The voices that push this myth are the same voices that profit from violating people’s trust while maintaining a digital ecosystem that is designed to keep us ignorant and rob us of our opportunity to decide. Startups and small businesses have joined the chorus of voices calling for strong data privacy laws. If a company’s business model is based on violating our trust, it should be held accountable. That’s a basic market principle.
This is how we make Congress work for us
Raising the standard of trust in the digital ecosystem requires a collective effort. It’s up to all of us to make strong data privacy protections a reality.
Here’s the plan:
Flood lawmakers with calls and emails
When millions of people call and email their representatives, Congress listens. We each need to do our part to organize our networks to contact Congress and tell them exactly what kind of strong protections we need to keep us safe.
Organize in-district constituent pressure
It’s important for lawmakers to see that people care about this issue in the communities they represent. We’ll help schedule in-person events, protests, meetings, and canvassing to mobilize constituencies that target lawmakers are likely to listen to.
Build power
We’ll build consensus among organizations and individuals calling for real privacy reforms and expose those who are funded by the industries seeking to maintain the status quo.
Built by:
For press inquiries, please contact us at:
(508) 474-5248 or [email protected]
All other inquiries, contact [email protected]