Consumer Groups Lament Big Tech Effort to Erode Consumer Privacy

The Consumer Federation of America (CFA)lambasted legislation passed by the Virginia legislature that advocates say only purports to protect privacy while actually protecting Big Business and eroding consumer rights.

The Consumer Data Protection Act (HB 2307/SB 1392) is, according to those monitoring these issues, nearly identical to the Washington Privacy Act. The bill passed both chambers in the Virginia legislature on Feb. 5th with broad, bipartisan support and now must be reconciled by Feb. 27th.

Susan Grant, CFA’s Director of Consumer Protection and Privacy, said of the bills:

The Consumer Data Protection Act should be called the business data protection act because it cements in place the current system of corporate surveillance.

Even worse, it allows companies to discriminate against consumers who exercise the limited rights they would have, throws roadblocks in the way of the state attorney general to enforce the law, and prevents consumers from taking enforcement action on their own.

Grant outlined a long list of concerns with the legislation and warned that actions in Virginia and Washington indicate a national effort to take away privacy protections.

Among the concerns raised by Grant:

· Gives consumers no rights concerning the personal data that may be gleaned from social media and other “channels of mass media” if they didn’t adequately…