This is International Data Privacy Week. Vermont officials and business representatives are highlighting the importance of protecting personal privacy and advocating for legislation that could help ensure consumer privacy.
According to the National Cybersecurity Alliance, Data Privacy Week is an effort to empower individuals and enhance awareness about online privacy. The theme this year is taking control of your data.
In Montpelier, Bradford House Democrat Monique Priestley hosted a kickoff to the week noting that while the digital world has provided incredible conveniences, it also poses numerous risks.
“It has created a system where our personal information is being exploited for profit,
often without our knowledge or consent. Every day, Vermonters are facing real world consequences from opaque data practices and algorithmic collusion,” Priestley said. “This isn't just an abstract tech issue. It's an economic justice issue. It's about the impact on people's ability to afford rent, secure a job and put food on the table. Data privacy is a kitchen table issue, and it demands our urgent attention.”
Priestley is sponsoring privacy bills to address Vermonters’ concerns about how their data is being collected and used.
“Four key pillars must be central to any effective data privacy legislation. First, data minimization. Companies should only collect the data they absolutely need. Second, we need to fix the broken online advertising system so that small businesses can compete and thrive without being forced to participate in a system that rewards the exploitation of personal data” Priestley continues, “Third, we must protect people's sensitive information. We must also ban the sale of sensitive data - hard stop. Finally, none of these provisions will matter without strong enforcement mechanisms to hold companies accountable.”
Front Porch Forum is a family-owned network of town-by-town online forums across Vermont. Chief of Staff Jason Van Driesche counters arguments that an online business can’t function without gathering whatever data it wants.
“Front Porch Forum wouldn't exist without the Internet. Our main source of revenue is online ads from local businesses. But because our business model is built on relationships and trust, not on surveillance, we don't actually need to collect that much data from our members in order to make our model work,” noted Van Driesche. “We believe in this thing called Data Minimization, the idea that companies should only collect information from their customers that they need in order to deliver the service that their customers are expecting to get and then do nothing else with that data. Our business model works because it's built on respect for the people we serve. That's way more effective than creepy targeting.”
Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark, a Democrat, noted that by statute her office receives notice of and then reports all data breaches. Clark says the state needs a strong data privacy law.
“Right now our data is the fuel of the internet economy and I think a lot of people don't realize that. But data privacy is truly one of the major consumer issues facing our time. Vermonter’s data belongs to them. Our data belongs to us,” asserted Clark. “A strong data privacy law would give the Vermonters the right to know what personal data a company holds, limit the use of that data, require that that data be deleted upon request. And I also believe strongly that if your data privacy is violated and you suffer damages, you should be able to sue the company who violated your data privacy.”
As of Monday, there had been 30 data breach notifications reported to Clark’s office in January. The office received a total of 724 last year.
