Oversight
The Future of Privacy Depends on the Midterms
Democrats are poised to reshape rules governing what tech giants do with your data
Sen. Ron Wyden, the Oregon Democrat who has been at the forefront of internet issues for years, last week introduced a bill that would force much tougher privacy rules on tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft. “Senator wants to punish tech CEOs with jail time when companies violate privacy,” headlines blared.
While virtually every single news outlet covered Wyden’s bill the same way—no one could resist a throw-tech-company-execs-in-jail headline—it’s far from the most interesting or lasting aspect of a bill that could make a real difference. Of course, the bill only has a real shot if the Democrats win back one or both houses in the midterm elections.
Barely covered was the real substance of the bill: Wyden’s proposal would establish minimum privacy and cybersecurity standards—enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)—that every company would have to follow. The FTC would also be beefed up to handle its additional enforcement powers. The commission would be able to hire 175 more staffers, including expert technologists, who can also investigate the vast market for selling private data.
