The DATA Privacy Act (Digital Accountability and Transparency to Advance Privacy Act) establishes the first comprehensive federal data privacy standards in the United States. The bill applies to companies and organizations that collect personal data on 50,000 or more individuals annually, requiring them to provide clear privacy notices, let people access and delete their information, obtain permission before collecting sensitive data like health records or precise location information, and implement strong data security practices. The Federal Trade Commission will write detailed regulations to enforce these requirements within one year of the law's enactment and can pursue civil penalties against violators, while state attorneys general can also sue on behalf of residents for violations, with penalties up to $40,000 per affected individual. The bill creates new roles called privacy protection officers at companies earning over $50 million annually to oversee compliance and audit practices. Additionally, the legislation directs the National Science Foundation to fund research into privacy-protecting technologies and authorizes up to $300 new FTC positions and whatever funding is needed to enforce these new privacy rules.
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