Consumer Reports Slams RI Privacy Bill

A Rhode Island privacy bill “would provide little useful information to consumers, and could be harmful to consumers by failing to reveal the extent to which their data is collected, used, and shared,” Consumer Reports Senior Policy Analyst Maureen Mahoney said in written testimony Monday. CR opposed H-7400, which was scheduled for a House Innovation, Internet and Technology Committee hearing later Tuesday afternoon. “Limiting the definition of personal information to a limited set of identifiable data would essentially exempt ad tech companies and data brokers from the bill, who typically keep data in pseudonymous form, though such data can be easily reidentified.” Its definition of “disclose” also is too narrow, said Mahoney: it could fail to capture most online data sharing. The American Property Casualty Insurance Association opposed H-7400 as “confusing in terms of what it requires and who needs to be in compliance.”