Senator Rubio Introduced New Privacy Bill

On January 16, 2019, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced the "American Data Dissemination (ADD) Act." This legislation would require the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to submit recommendations for privacy requirements to Congress using the Privacy Act of 1974 as a framework. 

The bill also would require the FTC to submit to the appropriate committees of Congress proposed regulations to impose privacy rules on "covered providers," which include Internet service providers and edge providers. Within two years of the bill's passage, if Congress does not enact a law based on the FTC's recommendations, the legislation would give the FTC the authority to promulgate a final privacy rule.

In 2018, Free State Foundation scholars submitted two sets of privacy-related comments to federal agencies: 

• "The Intersection between Privacy, Big Data, and Competition," Submitted to the FTC, August 20, 2018.

• "Developing the Administration's Approach to Consumer Privacy," Submitted to NTIA, November 9, 2018.