Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Top News
Top News
Politics

House Passes Bill Blocking Sale Of American User Data

Demonstration against crackdown legislation on TikTok on Capitol Hill.

The House of Representatives has taken a significant step in safeguarding sensitive American user data by passing the Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act. The bill, introduced by House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairwoman and a representative from New Jersey, advanced through the committee with a unanimous bipartisan vote of 50-0.

The bill, which passed the House with a vote of 414-0, aims to prevent data brokers from transferring sensitive information of U.S. individuals to foreign adversaries. The definition of 'sensitive data' includes a range of personal information such as biometric data, private communications, social security numbers, and geo-location data.

This legislation is a response to growing concerns about foreign governments like Russia, Iran, and China accessing American user data. It forms part of a broader bipartisan effort in Congress to protect national security interests and individual privacy.

Legislation aims to prevent transfer of sensitive data to foreign governments like Russia, Iran, and China.
Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act passed with bipartisan support.
Bill defines 'sensitive data' to include personal information like biometric data and social security numbers.

In a related move, the House also passed a bill targeting the Chinese-backed tech company Bytedance, which owns the popular social media platform TikTok. The bill requires Bytedance to divest from TikTok within 165 days or face a ban from U.S. app stores. Lawmakers supporting the bill argue that TikTok poses a national security risk due to its potential for foreign influence and data privacy issues.

Critics of TikTok have raised concerns about the Chinese government's influence over Bytedance and the app's access to sensitive user data. They fear that the app could be used for mass influence campaigns by the Chinese Communist Party. However, opponents of the bill have highlighted First Amendment concerns and the potential impact on small businesses that rely on TikTok for marketing and outreach.

The passage of these bills reflects a growing bipartisan consensus in Congress on the need to protect American user data from foreign threats and ensure national security in the digital age.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.