Do you want a comprehensive overview of the data privacy debate
in the United States? Well, the Government Accountability Office
has written one — just for U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV),
his Senate Commerce Committee, and you. In one click, you can
access 18 pages that review data privacy policy from A to Z.
The report, "Information Resellers: Consumer Privacy Framework
Needs to Reflect Changes in Technology and the
Marketplace," steps into a little bit of advocacy, as the
title suggests, but generally provides a succinct and reliable
summary of U.S. privacy laws, what they cover, what they don't
cover, and what various parties are proposing should be
covered.
The report was prepared in conjunction with the inquiry by Sen.
Rockefeller's committee into data collection for marketing
purposes. Both the December 19, 2013, committee hearing and the committee's staff report focus on that
issue. The GAO report, with its broader focus, provides a useful
overview of the
