Testimony on Behalf of New America’s Open Technology Institute Before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security

OTI’s Policy Director Prem Trivedi testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security on the importance of data security. He emphasized why the United States should adapt common federal standards in privacy and data security that protect consumers while retaining sufficient flexibility for innovation.

His testimony makes four key points:

1. Strong data security safeguards, including data minimization, are essential to protecting consumers.
2. Consumer research shows that Americans want stronger data security and privacy laws, including the protections of data minimization.
3. Data minimization requirements in a federal privacy law could fix the broken notice and consent approach to U.S. privacy law.
4. Codifying a broader set of data security practices in federal law would also meaningfully protect consumers’ and companies’ data.