U.S. Capitol
The U.S. Capitol

Here is a look at some of the data privacy issues President Joe Biden outlined in his 2023 State of the Union.

Protect Kids Online

  • Platforms and other interactive digital service providers should be required to prioritize the privacy and wellbeing of young people above profit and revenue in their product design. That includes safety by design standards and practices for online platforms, products and services. (Hello California Age Appropriate Design Code and KOSA Bill.)
  • The President called for bipartisan support to ban targeted advertising online for children and young people and enact strong protections for their privacy, health and safety online.

Strengthen data privacy and platform transparency

  • There should be clear and strict limits on the ability to collect, use, transfer and maintain personal data, especially for sensitive data such as geolocation and health information. The burden must fall on companies – not consumers – to minimize how much information they collect. (Hello data minimization and sensitive information.)
  • -The President wants to impose much stronger transparency requirements on Big Tech platforms. (Hello EU/CA/CO style transparency.)
  • “We must also demand transparency about the algorithms companies use that far too often discriminate against Americans and sow division,” according to a State of the Union Fact Sheet.
  • The President called for bipartisan support to impose strong limits on targeted advertising and the personal data that companies collect on all Americans.