House Energy and Commerce Committee has approved two pivotal data privacy bills, each addressing distinct concerns within the cybersecurity realm. The first bill squarely takes aim at popular social media platform TikTok, demanding a separation from its Chinese ownership or risking removal from U.S. app stores. The legislation, fueled by national security apprehensions and disinformation concerns, provides TikTok with a 180-day window to divest from its parent company, ByteDance.
Simultaneously, the committee’s second bill concentrates on curtailing data brokers’ activities by prohibiting the sale or transfer of Americans’ data to foreign adversaries, specifically targeting China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Notably, this bill empowers the Federal Trade Commission to impose civil penalties exceeding $50,000 for each violation of the ban. Privacy advocates welcome the steps against data brokers, emphasizing the national security threat posed by unrestricted access to sensitive information by foreign governments.
While the TikTok bill has sparked criticism for potentially infringing on freedom of speech, the data broker regulation bill is lauded by privacy experts. However, concerns linger about the absence of comprehensive federal data privacy legislation, despite the committee’s proactiveness in advancing bills addressing specific facets of the cybersecurity landscape.
