Privacy Laws
Privacy laws are designed to protect the personal information of individuals and ensure that it is not misused or disclosed without their consent. These laws are extremely important for anyone who uses the internet. They regulate the collection, use, and sharing of your personal data by organizations.
The Start of Online Privacy
In August 1998, the Federal Trade Commission conducted a thorough investigation into
the company GeoCities, a web hosting service, for unfair collection and usage of
consumer information.
It was determined that GeoCities was gathering standard information from user created profiles (emails,
phone numbers, first and last names, addresses, etc.), but also, would request optional information
of users (income, occupation, education level, etc.). This resulted in a vast collection of personal
information that would be potentially used to sell to third-party companies in targeted markets
for advertising. They were charged for falsely maintaining information that would identify children,
when in fact, a third-party company gathered and maintained it.
Privacy on the Internet: The Evolving Legal Landscape
Through this case, a settlement was reached, requiring GeoCities to disclose to its users
the type of information that was being collected, who it was being shared with, and the options
for consumers to review or delete their information from third-party databases.
Federal Trade Commission File No. 9823015 Agreement Containing Consent Order
This is where the beginning of online privacy started, and where it began to drastically
change as the internet grew.
Modern Day Privacy Laws
In the modern day, technological innovations compound exponentially every year, and with that,
more and more ways to collect and use personal information. Unlike the General Data Protection
Regulation for the European Union, the United States does not have a federal law that protects
consumer data privacy. So it is dependant under the jurisdiction of each state to enact consumer
data protection laws.
At end of 2023, there were only 13 states out of all 50 that have enacted consumer data
privacy laws: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Virginia, Delaware, Florida, Indiana,
Iowa, Montana, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas.
2023 Consumer Data Privacy Legislation
State Laws Related to Digital Privacy
That's a little scary, right?
Only 13 states out of 50 have enacted consumer data protection laws.
Most people who use the internet have seen the yearly notifications from companies that state them
"updating their privacy policy". This due these newly enacted consumer data protection laws.
Where companies are required to update and inform their users of their privacy policy, and build a
reliable and transparent relationship with their consumers.
These privacy policies should include:
- Notice of the site's privacy practices
- Explanation of how information is used and collected
- Consumer choice regarding the use of information collected
- Consumer access to correct or remove personal information
- Safeguarding the security of information
- Parental control over the collection and use of information gather from children
- Enforcement mechanism to ensure compliance
Most of the time these privacy policies are long and complex, and most people do not read them.
But it is crucial to read them, as they explain how your personal information is being used. Don't you
want to know what a stranger will do when you give them your personal information? Why do they need it?
How will they secure it? How they will use it? Who will they share it with? Will they delete it if I ask?
These are all questions that should be answered in a privacy policy, and if they are not, you should
reconsider giving them your personal information.