In response to growing concerns over data security and foreign influence, the US government has taken significant steps to limit access to sensitive personal data, particularly from countries of concern such as China and Russia.
President Joe Biden recently issued an executive order aimed at restricting companies from acquiring Americans' sensitive personal data through legal means, including data brokers. While not explicitly naming China, the order is widely understood to target countries like China and Russia.
The Department of Justice has been tasked with leading the effort to draft regulations in line with the executive order. A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking has been published to gather public input before the final regulations are put in place.
Simultaneously, bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the House Energy and Commerce Committee to impose similar restrictions on data brokers. The bill seeks to prevent the sale of sensitive information about US residents to foreign adversaries or entities controlled by them.
Another bill passed by the committee aims to force ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, to sell the popular video-sharing app or face a ban in the US. This move is driven by concerns over China's access to sensitive American data and has received backing from the White House.
While the legislation has garnered bipartisan support in the House, its path to becoming law faces challenges. The Senate has yet to introduce comparable legislation, and there are reservations among some Democrats that could slow down the process.
Despite the hurdles, the House is expected to vote on the TikTok bill soon, with bipartisan leadership support likely to secure its passage. However, the broader implications of these measures and their impact on data security and foreign influence remain to be seen.
