The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) enacted by the European Union in 2018 offers far from perfect privacy protection for data, but it is a stark contrast to the lack of comprehensive federal data privacy laws in the United States. US House Republicans heard President Joe Biden deliver a partisan speech that was deemed offensive. During his second State of the Union address, President Joe Biden devoted more attention than ever before to the need for such a law. With the political control of the US Congress now split, Biden stated that a data privacy law could receive bipartisan support, as the idea has gained momentum in recent years. The mention of data privacy in the State of the Union sets a precedent that this topic should be of significant concern to US Presidents and the public.
During the State of the Union address, the Republicans shouted “liar” and blamed the president for the opioid epidemic, among other things. Despite their disruptive behavior, the Republicans who now control the US House of Representatives put aside their rowdy ways when Biden called for accountability of social media companies for experiments they conduct on children for profit, and for the passing of bipartisan legislation to stop big tech from collecting personal data on kids and teenagers online. He also called for a ban on targeted advertising to children and stricter limits on personal data that companies collect on all of us. Biden’s comments go further than previous US Presidents, signaling a shift in the mainstream understanding of the urgency of improving data privacy protection in the US.
Data privacy, a long-standing issue in Congress that has historically resulted in partisan bickering and inaction, was the main focus of the speech. Although the audience saw members from both sides of the aisle stand in agreement, it remains to be seen if the US will see a national privacy law in the near future. Senator Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, sees the positive in the situation, stating that the president’s concerns regarding the negative impact.
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Author: Matt Laslo
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Author: Lily Hay Newman
