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.
Digital Deep Fakes
The media has recently labeled manipulated videos of people “deepfakes,” a portmanteau of “deep learning” and “fake,” on the assumption that AI-based software is behind them all. But the technology behind video manipulation is not all based on deep learning (or any form of AI), and what are lumped together as deepfakes actually differ depending on the particular technology used. So while the example videos above were all doctored in some way, they were not all altered using the same technological tools, and the risks they pose – particularly as to being identifiable as fake – may vary.
Congressional Leaders Join Future of Privacy Forum, Charter Communications to Discuss Consumer Privacy
Will Congress advance a federal privacy law? FPF Vice President of Policy John Verdi spoke with two leading House members to find out. Watch the video below of John’s July 19th conversation with House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection Chair Jan Schakowsky and Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Thank you to Charter Communications […]
COPYRIGHTS AND PRIVACY: What is the Irrevocable License and is it Really a Privacy Concern?
The reasons for the development and inclusion of these clauses, and the privacy controversies the terms can trigger, tell an interesting tale about the intersection of data protection and intellectual property law.
FPF Letter to Senate on School Safety
This week, the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) sent a letter to the Senate Homeland, Security & Governmental Affairs Committee in advance of today’s hearing “Examining State and Federal Recommendations for Enhancing School Safety Against Targeted Violence.”
Statement by FPF CEO Jules Polonetsky: Facebook Case Shows It Is Time to Give the FTC Enhanced Civil Penalty Authority
WASHINGTON – July 24, 2019 –Today, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced an unprecedented settlement requiring Facebook to pay $5 billion in civil penalties, create new accountability and compliance mechanisms, and imposing additional injunctive relief. The settlement stems from violations of a 2012 order. The $5 billion penalty is more than 15 times larger than […]
California’s AB-1395 Highlights the Challenges of Regulating Voice Recognition
Under the radar of ongoing debates over the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the California Senate Judiciary Committee will also soon be considering, at a July 9th hearing, an unusual sectoral privacy bill regulating “smart speakers.” AB-1395 would amend California’s existing laws to add new restrictions for “smart speaker devices,” defined as standalone devices “with […]
FPF Letter to NY State Legislature
On Friday, June 14, FPF submitted a letter to the New York State Assembly and Senate supporting a well-crafted moratorium on facial recognition systems for security uses in public schools.
NAI’s 2020 Code of Conduct Expands Self-Regulation for Ad Tech Providers
By Christy Harris, Stacey Gray, and Meredith Richards As debates over the shape of federal privacy legislation in the United States continue, online advertising remains a key focus of scrutiny in the US Congress, with its recent hearing on digital advertising and data privacy. Amidst these debates, the Networking Advertising Initiative (NAI), the leading self-regulatory body […]
CCPA Amendment Update June 2019 – Twelve Bills Survive Assembly and Move to the Senate
By Michelle Bae and Jeremy Greenberg Privacy professionals seeking clarity on compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) are monitoring numerous amendment bills introduced in the California State Assembly and the California State Senate. Twelve bills garnered the votes needed to pass the Assembly and moved to the Senate for further revision and voting. […]
FPF Welcomes the 2019 Class of Policy Fellows
FPF is pleased to announce the selection of its 2019 Policy Fellows: Katelyn Ringrose, Charlotte Kress, and Anisha Reddy. Working at FPF for one- or two-year terms, Fellows are key members of the FPF policy team. Fellows focus on consumer and commercial privacy issues, from technology-specific areas such as drones, wearables, connected cars, and student privacy, […]