Rutigliano Supports Data Privacy Bill

Rutigliano Supports Data Privacy Bill

HARTFORD- State Rep. David Rutigliano (R-123) applauded final passage of a data privacy bill which established a consumer data bill of rights that would protect Connecticut residents’ online privacy.

The legislation, Senate Bill 6, An Act Concerning Personal Data Privacy and Online Monitoring establishes a framework for controlling and processing personal data and establishes responsibilities and privacy protection standards for data controllers and processors. It also grants consumers the right to access, correct, delete and obtain a copy of personal data, and opt out of the processing of personal data for the purposes.

“The legislation will ensure transparency within the web providers and consumers, therefore guaranteeing that consumers know just how much of their information is being collected and are given the right to control what is done with that data,” said Rep. Rutigliano. “Giving consumers the ability to opt-out and requiring that businesses in the state protect consumer personal data is common sense. In a digital age, where many now purchase food and goods via their smart phone, the bill looks to protect a consumers’ personal data.”

Under this data privacy bill, the web providers will be required to clearly cite a privacy policy telling consumers what data is being collected, how it is being used, and why. This way, consumers are aware and have the right of knowing what information is being collected from them, the ability to see and fix any false data that is collected from them, and the right to have any collected data be deleted.

The bill will also prohibit web providers from discriminating against those who choose to exercise these rights. This bill will provide protection over user information, thus preventing these providers from abusing their data. It will require the providers to lessen the amount of data they collect and only use it for the purposes they are collected it for; therefore, having less data breaches and identity theft.

Currently, children’s online privacy protection imposes certain requirements on operators of websites or online services directed to children under 13 years of age, and on operators of other websites or online services that have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information online from a child under 13 years of age. This data privacy bill also raises the children’s online privacy protection rule to children under 16 years of age.