South Asheville News

Congressman Chuck Edwards (R-NC-11) on June 22 introduced the Data Elimination and Limiting Extensive Tracking and Exchange (DELETE) Act to protect Americans’ private online data. He was joined by fellow original sponsor Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) in the House, while Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) introduced the companion bill in the Senate.

Data brokers – companies that collect personal data for commercial use – are currently able to collect, use and sell Americans’ data without those affected knowing. The DELETE Act would create a system for individuals to request that all data brokers delete any personal data that has been collected, and to not collect their data in the future.

Under current law, individuals must make an individual request to each date broker that their data be removed. The DELETE Act directs the Federal Trade Commission to create a one-stop online portal for users to submit a data deletion request that would be sent to all registered data brokers, and creates a “do not track list” to protect users from future data collection.

Edwards released the following statement:

“The DELETE Act gives citizens a platform to easily request that their personal information be deleted and stop further collection by data companies. Americans expect and deserve privacy, and this bipartisan bill will allow them to finally take control over their personal information.”

"Once our phone number, web history, or even social security number gets added to a data broker’s list, it becomes nearly impossible to get it removed,”said Trahan. “It’s long past time to rein in the shady practices of data brokers. That’s why I’m reintroducing the bipartisan DELETE Act to return power back to consumers by giving each of us the right to have our personal information removed from these lists.”

“Privacy should be expected and protected online,” said Cassidy. "This bill gives Americans a solution to ensure their personal data is not tracked, collected, bought or sold by data brokers."

“Data brokers are buying, collecting, and reselling vast amounts of personal information about all of us without our consent. This bipartisan bill is about returning control of our personal data to us, the American people,” said Ossoff.

Background

Congressman Edwards introduced the Transparency Over Toys Spying (TOTS) Act in January to protect children’s and parents’ privacy by increasing transparency over smart-toy data collection and security practices.

Original source can be found here.