Three U.S. senators have reintroduced legislation they say will protect Americans’ personal information from foreign adversaries.
The Internet Application Integrity and Disclosure (App ID) Act, sponsored by Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), would require operators of websites and mobile applications to disclose if their applications have been developed, are controlled, or store data within one of several countries, including China, Russia, North Korea and Iran.
“The internet plays an essential role in our daily lives, and with its rapid growth comes a responsibility to protect users from foreign adversaries,” Luján said in a news release. “I’m proud to co-sponsor the bipartisan Internet App ID Act to protect Americans’ online and help ensure they know when their sensitive data may be accessed by foreign actors.”
Cortez Masto said the internet has revolutionized numerous aspects of Americans’ lives, but elected officials need to do more to protect citizens’ privacy.
“There are millions of websites and apps out there,” she said, “and (the App ID Act) is an essential piece of legislation that will help consumers make informed decisions to protect their data from being controlled or accessed by foreign adversaries.”
The Federal Trade Commission would fine companies that fail to disclose data use or present false information, according to the release.
The reintroduction of the bipartisan bill push revives a proposal that gained momentum in the House of Representatives during the previous session, but stalled before reaching a final vote.