Health Information Compliance Alert

The feds want to rein in devices and protect consumers’ data in the process.

Background: New York Senator Kirstin Gillibrand introduced a new bill titled the “Data Protection Act,” which would address the nation’s data privacy concerns. “Massive amounts of personal information — public profiles, health data, photos, past purchases, locations, search histories, and much more — is being collected, processed, and in some cases, exploited by private companies and foreign adversaries,” warns a release on the act from Gillibrand’s congressional website. “In some instances, the data was not given willingly, and in many others, consumers had little idea what they were signing up for.”

The legislation aims to thwart the loss of data and tighten cybersecurity across the various platforms and devices. It promotes the creation of a Data Protection Agency (DPA) “that would protect Americans’ data, safeguard their privacy, and ensure data practices are fair and transparent. The DPA will have the authority and resources to effectively enforce data protection rules — created either by itself or congress — and would be equipped with a broad range of enforcement tools, including civil penalties, injunctive relief, and equitable remedies,” notes the release.

Check out Gillibrand’s reasoning and plans at www.gillibrand.senate.gov/news/press/release/confronting-a-data-privacy-crisis-gillibrand-announces-landmark-legislation-to-create-a-data-protection-agency.