The White House disclosed on Wednesday that the Biden administration is proposing regulations aimed at assisting the Justice Department in halting data brokers from vending Americans’ personal data to nations deemed concerning.
President Biden is set to issue an executive order that will introduce, for the first time, safeguards designed to protect bulk biometric, healthcare, and financial data gathered by domestic businesses.
These measures are intended to impede the transfer of such data to foreign adversaries, including China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, and North Korea.
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Data, such as genomic and geolocation information, collected by technology firms and lawfully sold to data brokers, can ultimately fall into the hands of scammers and foreign intelligence agencies.
The announced regulations on Wednesday are anticipated to address this issue.
US Officials Warn of Data Exploitation by China and Russia
Officials emphasized that personal data amassed by US companies constitutes a valuable asset that nations such as China and Russia can exploit in malevolent cyber campaigns or in targeting dissidents and activists who oppose their regimes.
The implementation of the new regulations will not occur immediately; instead, they will undergo a series of evaluations to provide stakeholders with an opportunity to offer their perspectives.
The government aims to mitigate any potential economic ramifications associated with the regulations.
Upon enactment, the regulations will establish standards for corporations and data brokers, instructing them to refrain from transferring data to entities identified as posing national security concerns to the United States, as stated by a senior official from the Justice Department.
Subsequent enforcement actions will be taken against brokers found to be in violation of these regulations.
Ban on Personal Data Sales to China and Russia
Sales of personal information by data brokers to countries like China and Russia will be categorically prohibited, while stringent security requirements must be met before companies engage in vendor, employment, or investment agreements with these nations.
The executive order unveiled on Wednesday forms part of an expanding initiative by the Biden administration to counter the exploitation of US advancements aimed at undermining national security.
US officials remain focused on identifying ways in which foreign adversaries utilize investments to gain access to American technology and data.
Administration officials clarified that Wednesday’s executive order aims to fortify the essential relationship between national security and corporate governance in safeguarding Americans’ data.
They emphasized, however, that it does not serve as a substitute for legislation that could formally establish certain privacy protections into law.