US House Of Representatives Approves Data Privacy And Security Bill, Claims Strongest Act Ever

JAKARTA - A House of Representatives committee on Wednesday, July 20 approved a bill to create the first US privacy law to limit personal information collected online by companies such as Google Alphabet and Facebook Meta.

The US House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the bill by a margin of 53-2. Now they will present the bill in the US Congress, for review by the US Senate.

Privacy laws have been introduced regularly in Congress but failed amid disputes over whether they would precede state laws, which are sometimes stronger, or whether individuals would be allowed to sue in cases of invasion of privacy.

"People need more control over their online information. They are asking us, their elected representatives, to act. America's Privacy and Data Protection Act includes the strongest privacy protections to date in the United States," said Republican Representatives in The committee, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Tech companies often use free services, such as social media platforms, to attract users and gather information to target users for advertising. Two technology trade groups issued statements criticizing the measure within minutes of the bill's passage.