Many States Have Data Privacy Laws. Where Is the Federal Law?

In the absence of nationwide policy, 13 states have enacted their own data privacy laws. Several others have taken a different approach with a mix of basic and substantive protections. Congress may take the issue this session.

Gopal Ratnam, CQ-Roll Call

(TNS) — States that have enacted data privacy laws and those pursuing them are migrating into disparate camps in their approaches to privacy protections, setting up a clash if Congress enacts federal legislation.

In the absence of nationwide policy, 13 states have enacted their own laws. California, the first state in the nation to pass a comprehensive law, formed a camp of its own with its 2020 measure that allows consumers to directly sue tech and online companies over data breaches involving personal information such as names, social security numbers and email addresses.