A bipartisan group of leaders from Congressional committees have reportedly hammered out the major parts of an agreement to protect Americans’ personal data, the Washington Post reports, addressing the issues of a growing online society where information is stored and used in various places.
Republican Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell, the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, are expected to announce the deal next week. The legislation would require protections for consumers’ data in the same way personal health and financial information are regulated. This would provide consumers greater rights regarding companies selling their personal data.