A Breakthrough Online Privacy Proposal Hits Congress

The American Privacy Rights Act (APRA) is a bipartisan proposal aimed at creating a comprehensive data privacy framework in the United States. It seeks to limit the types of consumer data companies can collect, retain, and use to only what is necessary to operate their services. APRA would allow users to opt-out of targeted advertising and enable them to view, correct, delete, and download their data from online services. Additionally, it proposes the creation of a national registry of data brokers and mandates that these companies allow users to opt out of having their data sold.

Under the American Privacy Rights Act (APRA), users would have the right to opt out of targeted advertising. This means that individuals could choose not to have their personal data used by companies to serve them personalized ads based on their behavior and preferences. The specific process for opting out would likely be outlined by each company in accordance with the regulations set forth by APRA once it is enacted.

The key differences between APRA and previous data privacy proposals include:

• APRA's allowance for states to pass their own privacy laws related to civil rights and consumer protections, among other exceptions, while still setting a federal standard.

• Inclusion of language from California’s privacy law that allows people to sue companies when they are harmed by a data breach, which is stronger than previous proposals.

• Focus on enforcement on businesses with $250 million or more in yearly revenue, exempting small businesses with $40 million or less in annual revenue and limited data collection.

• Exclusions under the bill for governments, entities working on behalf of governments, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and certain nonprofits focused on cybersecurity and fraud prevention.

As of the information provided, there is no official date for introducing the American Privacy Rights Act (APRA) as a bill to Congress. The current proposal is a 'discussion draft.' Senators Cantwell and McMorris Rodgers plan to circulate the text to colleagues for feedback over the coming weeks and aim to send it to committees within the same month. This suggests that the introduction of APRA to Congress could happen shortly after these steps, depending on the feedback and support received.