SIIA Welcomes U.S. Chamber of Commerce Proposed Privacy Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 13, 2019) – The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), the principal association for the software and digital content industries, today welcomed the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s proposal for what a privacy bill should look like.

SIIA Senior VP for Public Policy, Mark MacCarthy, issued the following statement:

“The Chamber’s proposed privacy bill is a productive step forward as Congress considers new national privacy legislation.  It contains a balanced approach providing for appropriate consent and a focus on avoiding consumer harm, while still allow innovative uses of data.  

“SIIA especially applauds the fact that the proposed bill does not cover publicly available information, as such an exclusion is necessary to comply with First Amendment requirements.  Privacy rules are not needed in this area since the information is already available to the public, and consumer privacy interests are not implicated. As a result, the model bill would allow businesses to continue to use publicly available information for important public safety purposes, from tracking down missing children to fighting fraud and terrorist financing.

“We look forward to working with the Chamber to make further refinements to prevent unintended consequences in the education sector."

About SIIA:
SIIA is an umbrella association that represents constituencies from technology, data and media companies. Through in-person and online business development opportunities, peer networking, corporate education, intellectual property protection and government relations, SIIA provides a network of resources for its 800+ member companies that drive innovation and growth. For more information, visit www.siia.net.

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