According to an executive order signed by U. S. President Joe Biden, the bulk sale and transfer of Americans ‘ private information is prohibited in” countries of concern” like China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela.
” Our adversaries are compromising our national security by utilizing our country’s sensitive personal information.” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland stated that they are purchasing this information to use to target those they consider to be dissidents in the United States and engage in other vile activities.
The Justice Department is empowered by this Executive Order to stop nations that collect sensitive personal information, including human genomic data, biometric and personal identifiers, as well as personal health and financial data, from countries that pose a threat to our national security.
A novel national security initiative must be developed, implemented, and overseen by the U.S. Department of Justice in accordance with the presidential directive. Additionally, it calls for new laws to restrict or otherwise restrict certain types of data transactions that are perceived to pose an unacceptable threat to national security.
Additionally, it concentrates on some of the most sensitive personal information held by Americans, including their genomic, biometric, personal, geolocation, and financial data.
This kind of information is available to threat actors for use in eavesdropping, fraud, blackmail, and other privacy violations. Additionally, commercial data brokers who collect it can offer it to the highest bidder, including those in their home countries, their foreign intelligence services, militaries, or businesses they control.
A White House fact sheet warns that” the sale of Americans ‘ data raises significant privacy, counterintelligence, blackmail, and other national security risks, particularly for those in the military or the national security community.”
To intimidate opponents of nations of concern, halt dissent, and restrict Americans ‘ freedom of expression and other civil liberties, countries of concern can also access Americans ‘ sensitive personal data to gather information from academics, journalists, journalists, dissidents, political figures, members of non-governmental organizations, and members of marginalized communities.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC ) has also outlawed two data brokers, including Outlogic, X-Mode Social, and InMarket Media, from selling Americans ‘ precise location data for tracking purposes since the start of the year.
Data brokers frequently exposed location data and revealed much more sensitive information, such as religious ties and medical records, in response to the actions.
In order to protect patient privacy and access to reproductive health care services, the FTC issued its orders in response to an August 2022 Biden executive order. After an anti-abortion group targeted visitors to some Planned Parenthood clinics with advertisements using mobile location data, the directive was issued.