Today, Representative Haley Stevens’ (MI-11) bipartisan bill, the Promoting Digital Privacy Technologies Act (H.R. 847) passed the House. The Promoting Digital Privacy Technologies Act, supports research, workforce development, standard setting, and government coordination for the development of privacy enhancing technologies (PETs). PETs are a broad range of technologies that allow organizations to collect, share, and use data while mitigating the privacy risks that arise from those activities. This legislation will direct the National Science Foundation (NSF) to conduct fundamental privacy research that can help improve these technologies, assess their limitations, and broaden their applicability.
A 2019 survey by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration found that 73 percent of U.S. households have significant concerns about online privacy and security risks.
“Americans are online,” said Representative Haley Stevens (MI-11). “Practically any digital action that internet users take – from social media or shopping online to browsing news or using email – creates data that is stored by companies or organizations. Since most of the data economy is invisible – Americans are not able to see this constant flow of their information, but the modern digital economy is fueled by personal data. Unfortunately, there are few processes that can enable the productive use of personal data while also protecting the privacy and confidentiality of the people to whom that data is linked.
There are tremendous opportunities in the promise of enabling broader use of datasets, including safer roads, improved public health, and better educational outcomes. However, in any use of personal data, we must ensure privacy and confidentiality. One key way to achieve that is through the development of privacy enhancing technologies. I am proud to partner with my colleagues from the Senate, across the aisle and industry as we work together to enhance privacy protections for our constituents. It is high time that we research ways in which privacy enhancing technologies can be utilized to protect Americans’ most sensitive and personal data.”
The Promoting Digital Privacy Technologies Act authorizes research and standards setting activities at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for privacy enhancing technologies. Additionally, the Promoting Digital Privacy Technologies Act:
- Directs the NSF to support competitive, fundamental research on privacy enhancing technologies.
- Supports workforce development activities at NSF in order to help address the growing shortage of privacy professionals across the US.
- Promotes coordination on privacy enhancing technologies between the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) at the White House, NIST, NSF, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
- Requires a report to Congress on the progress of privacy enhancing technology development as well as makes recommendations to improve the communication and coordination between Federal agencies and the private sector on privacy enhancing technologies.
- Directs NIST to facilitate the development of standards and best practices for integration of PETs in the public and private sector to ensure that Americans continue to reap the rewards of data analysis while also protecting their most sensitive information.
Original source can be found here.
