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Tech Leaders Call For New Consumer Privacy Legislation

Silicon Valley heavyweights want a new law passed that would protect them from consumer ire, should the government come calling for their personal data. eBay Chief Executive Meg Whitman and other members of the Consumer Privacy Legislative Forum gathered in Washington to discuss more clearly defined legislation of consumer privacy and company compliance as it pertains to consumer privacy. The companies involved in the Forum each have a vested interest in simple-to-understand compliance legislation--they want to be able to assure the extent to which their privacy is being protected. U.S. Rep Joe Barton, R-Texas--who has been actively involved in Net Neutrality deliberations as well--hopes to introduce new legislation by the end of the year that would let consumers know when their personal information is being released, to whom, and why. The privacy group asked that federal privacy law preempt state laws, because it says there exists a "crazy quilt" of confusing federal and state laws that apply to certain businesses, certain sectors, even certain technologies. Today, most privacy legislation occurs at the state level. Why? Ari Schwartz, of the Center for Democracy and Technology, says there are so many different laws because "industry for years has been pushing for sectoral legislation with the mantra that different types of data need different types of protection." The result: laws are tough for consumers to understand, and for companies to adhere to.

Read the whole story at San Jose Mercury News »

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