WASHINGTON — Top U.S. technology companies are shifting their focus to state capitals to shape emerging data privacy laws as progress on a federal bill has slowed.
Trade groups representing consumer-oriented technology companies such as Amazon, Google and Facebook, as well as those working on behalf of business-oriented companies such as IBM, Intel, Microsoft and Oracle, have in recent weeks turned their attention to states.
The California Consumer Privacy Act, which requires disclosures so consumers are aware of data being collected about them and permits them to opt out, went into force in January and has become a catalyst for states around the country that are considering similar measures. It reflects a strong desire by voters for protections from unchecked data collection practices by companies and governments.
In a Pew Research Center survey last year, more than 8 in 10 Americans said the potential risks from their data being collected and used by companies outweighed benefits; about 66 percent said they felt the same about data used by the government.