Across the United States, evolving data collection and processing practices and advances in artificial intelligence are driving new digital services, technologies, and socially beneficial research – while also raising new opportunities, risks, and questions for individuals and communities. In response, state and federal policymakers are considering new legislative and regulatory frameworks on three interconnected fronts: comprehensive consumer privacy laws that establish baseline rights and protections for personal data across the economy; frameworks that target specific sectors and practices such as automated decisionmaking, biometric identification, companion chatbots, data-driven pricing, data brokerage, frontier AI model safety, genetic data, and health data; and youth-specific privacy and online safety laws that set distinct rules for minors. These three tracks rarely stay in their lanes: a comprehensive privacy law may include AI provisions, an AI safety bill may carve out rules for minors, a youth online safety law may hinge on biometric age verification. Understanding the landscape requires understanding both the individual pieces and how they fit together.
FPF’s U.S. Legislation team provides expert, independent, pragmatic analysis of state and federal legislative and regulatory approaches to privacy, AI, and youth online safety – three distinct but increasingly intertwined issue areas. The team tracks emerging proposals, compares new laws against existing frameworks, analyzes implementation and compliance implications, and helps policymakers and stakeholders understand how legal requirements interact with current technologies, business practices, and data uses.
Through reports, blog posts, legislative and policy analyses, webinars, in-person and virtual peer-to-peer gatherings, and educational programs, FPF helps the broader technology policy and governance community understand the mechanisms and strategies available to protect privacy, promote responsible AI development and deployment, and advance youth online safety. FPF does not typically support or oppose particular bills. Instead, the U.S. Legislation team focuses on explaining the practical and legal implications of proposals – individually and as they interact with one another. This work helps ensure that privacy, AI, and youth safety compliance and policy strategies remain future-looking, adaptable, and workable for the continued, beneficial use of data and AI.
FPF’s U.S. Legislation team is led by Tatiana Rice, Senior Director.
The Federal Trade Commission Updates to the COPPA FAQs
Although the Commission stated that the revisions “don’t raise new policy issues,” companies collecting or managing data from children under 13 should be aware of several significant changes and clarifications to the FAQs.
FPF Submits Comments to United Nations Ahead of 2021 Special Report on Child Privacy
Last week, the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) submitted comments to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy to inform the Special Rapporteur’s upcoming report on the privacy rights of children.
Chelsey Colbert Discusses Trends in Mobility & Location Data
Chelsey Colbert, Policy Counsel, leads FPF’s mobility and location data portfolio. Prior to joining FPF, Chelsey was a lawyer at an international business law firm in Canada and was seconded as in-house privacy and data governance counsel to Sidewalk Labs, an Alphabet company that designs and builds urban innovations. Chelsey holds a J.D. with a […]
FPF Comments on Draft Washington Privacy Act of 2021
Yesterday, on September 30, 2020, FPF submitted comments regarding the draft Washington Privacy Act of 2021. The draft was released by Senator Carlyle, the Chair of the Washington State Senate Committee on Environment, Energy, and Technology (EET) on September 9, 2020. The new version closely resembles last year’s Second Substitute version of the Washington Privacy […]
California’s SB 980 Would Codify Strong Protections for Genetic Data
Author: John Verdi (Vice President of Policy) This week, SB 980 (the “Genetic Information Privacy Act”) passed the California State Assembly and State Senate, with near unanimous support (54-10 and 39-0). If signed by the Governor before the Sept. 30 deadline, the law would become the first comprehensive genetic privacy law in the United States, […]
FPF Presents Expert Analysis to Washington State Lawmakers as Multiple States Weigh COVID-19 Privacy and Contact Tracing Legislation
In response to the ongoing public health emergency, over the past few months state legislatures in the United States have diverted their resources towards establishing state and local reopening plans, allocating federal aid, and promoting public trust and public participation by addressing concerns over privacy and civil liberties. Many states have introduced bills which […]
Future of Privacy Forum, National Center on Learning Disabilities Release New Student Privacy and Virtual Learning Guide
The Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) and the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) today released a new resource designed to help educators navigate the unique student privacy challenges raised by COVID-19 and the shift to virtual learning, particularly for students with disabilities. Student Privacy and Special Education: An Educator’s Guide During and After COVID-19 […]
California SB 980 Would Codify Many of FPF’s Best Practices for Consumer Genetic Testing Services, but Key Differences Remain
Authors: John Verdi (Vice President of Policy) and Katelyn Ringrose (Christopher Wolf Diversity Law Fellow) In July 2018, the Future of Privacy Forum released Privacy Best Practices for Consumer Genetic Testing Services. FPF developed the Best Practices following consultation with technical experts, regulators, leading consumer genetic and personal genomic testing companies, and civil society. The […]
FPF Welcomes New Members to the Youth & Education Privacy Project
We are thrilled to announce two new members of FPF’s Youth & Education Privacy team. The new staff – Juliana Cotto and Dr. Carrie Klein – will help expand FPF’s technical assistance and training, resource creation and distribution, and state and federal legislative tracking. You can read more about Juliana and Carrie below. Please join […]
Off to the Races for Enforcement of California’s Privacy Law
Yesterday, the California Attorney General’s office confirmed that it has begun sending a “swath” of enforcement notices to companies across sectors who are allegedly violating the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), swiftly beginning enforcement right on the July 1st enforcement date. The law came into effect in January, after years of debate and amendment in […]