New Privacy for America survey joins chorus of other surveys demonstrating urgency for action on data privacy to protect consumers.
Americans have spoken (again) – they want action to protect their data privacy. And they want it from Congress.
We recently partnered with Research Narrative and InnovateMR to better understand the state of data privacy across the country, including how Americans feel about their own privacy and what they want from the government.
Privacy for America’s survey found an overwhelming majority – 92% – believe it is important for Congress to pass new legislation to protect consumers’ personal data.
This finding joins several other surveys that reinforce the urgency Americans feel when it comes to their data privacy. A recent AP-NORC survey found that three-quarters of Americans support establishing national standards on how companies can collect, process and share personal data. And a Morning Consult survey earlier this year found that 4-in-5 Americans said passing national data privacy standards should be a top or important congressional priority in 2021.
With 2022 upon us, Privacy for America’s proposed framework for comprehensive federal privacy legislation that would protect consumers merits strong consideration, particularly as it addresses several protections that Americans want and support:
- Prohibiting harmful uses of personal data: 81% of Americans support creating a national standard for all companies to follow that outlines reasonable/legal and unreasonable/illegal ways to collect, use and share personal data.
- Providing access, deletion and portability of data: 80% of Americans support giving consumers more control over the data a company has about them, including the right to erase data, update or correct data, and the right to move data to another company.
- Establishing data security programs: 79% of Americans support requiring companies to invest in security measures to protect against hacks or breaches.
- Ensuring strong enforcement and oversight: 78% of Americans support increasing fines for companies that fail to protect personal data.
- Creating a national standard vs. individual state regulations: 62% of Americans believe federal legislation would be most effective, which they see as easier to implement than individual state regulations.
It’s clear that protecting data privacy is a priority for Americans – and it’s time Congress pays attention. We are ready to work with lawmakers to make our framework a reality and deliver real privacy protections for all Americans now.
Read more about Privacy for America’s research findings here.