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.
What the US Election Results Mean for Privacy
Privacy was not on the ballot yesterday, but the results may affect the prospects for privacy legislation in the new Congress. The big news is that Congressman Rick Boucher, a respected Virginia Democrat who has served for nearly 19 years, was defeated by Morgan Griffith, a Virginia state legislator. Boucher, along with Congressman Rick Stearns […]
FPF Releases Privacy Papers for Policy Makers Journal
To view “Privacy Papers for Policy Makers” Journal, click here. Future of Privacy Forum Releases New Journal: “Privacy Papers for Policy Makers” Journal Highlights Leading Privacy Writings for Hill and Agencies To Consider When Addressing Privacy Concerns WASHINGTON – Today, the Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) released a new journal entitled Privacy Papers for Policy […]
Congressman Rush Pushes Privacy Agenda With Introduction of Bill
Yesterday Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush, Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection introduced H.R. 5777 the “Building Effective Strategies To Promote Responsibility Accountability Choice Transparency Innovation Consumer Expectations and Safeguards Act”, or BEST PRACTICES Act of 2010. The bill adds to the contentious privacy debate that came […]
The Future of Privacy Legislation: A Conversation with Congressmen Rick Boucher and Cliff Stearns
On Wednesday, Representatives Rick Boucher (D-VA) and Cliff Stearns (R-FL), Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, spoke exclusively with the Future of Privacy Forum and a select group of privacy advocates, academics, and members of the business community about the discussion draft of privacy legislation the Congressmen […]
Guest Blog on Privacy Safe Harbors
The following is a guest post to the FPF Blog from Ira Rubinstein, a Senior Fellow at the Information Law Institute and Adjunct Professor at New York University School of Law In early May, Reps. Rick Boucher (D-VA) and Cliff Stearns (R-FL) released a discussion draft of comprehensive privacy legislation. The draft bill would require companies […]
Guest Blog on Privacy Safe Harbors
The following is a guest post to the FPF Blog from Ira Rubinstein, a Senior Fellow at the Information Law Institute and Adjunct Professor at New York University School of Law In early May, Reps. Rick Boucher (D-VA) and Cliff Stearns (R-FL) released a discussion draft of comprehensive privacy legislation. The draft bill would require […]
California Law and Alternatives to "Privacy Policy"
A couple of weeks ago, on the FPF facebook page, we posted our thoughts about a comment Alexander Macgillivray, Twitter’s general counsel, made about the decision to name Twitter’s “privacy policy” as such and not as “public policy,” based upon the requirements of California law. We finally had a chance to take a closer look […]
FPF Statement of Staff Discussion of Draft of Boucher-Sterns Consumer Privacy Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 4, 2010 Media Contact: Ted Kresse [email protected] 202.777.3719 Future of Privacy Forum Statement on Staff Discussion Draft of Boucher-Stearns Consumer Privacy Bill Washington, DC — Today, the Co-Chairs of the Future of Privacy Forum, Christopher Wolf and Jules Polonetsky, released a joint statement on the release of the staff discussion draft […]