States Fight Over How Our Data Is Tracked And Sold Online, As Congress Stalls

https://www.npr.org/2021/06/04/ [login to see] /states-fight-over-how-our-data-is-tracked-and-sold-online-as-congress-stalls
With Congress stalled on federal legislation to regulate how personal data is tracked and sold online, the fight over the future of data privacy has moved to state capitals.

Only two states, California and Virginia, have passed laws to give people more control over how technology companies mine personal details and online behavior, each bringing vastly different protections for users.

California's law gives people the right to tell companies to stop tracking them and to delete data that has already been gathered and even, in certain cases, sue companies over data breaches. Privacy advocates consider it a strong consumer shield.

The law in Virginia gives people some new control over how their personal information is collected online, but privacy advocates say it contains many exceptions and carve-outs that will give tech companies a free pass and does not give consumers a right to sue. It passed with Silicon Valley's backing.

Now those interests are competing to decide which vision will predominate in the rest of the country.