Americans want an internet bill of rights to protect their online data
With the recent implementation of The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which went into effect on January 1, 2020, companies’ data collection policies will be affected. So how are users impacted – and what are their rights?
The CCPA is the only state law that gives consumers the right to direct companies to delete their information and not sell it.
This law is similar to Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation rules and reflects how states can step in to protect their residents when the federal government regulations miss the mark.
Online privacy company The Best VPN surveyed 1005 Americans about their experiences and opinions on the internet and principles that should govern its use.
Its Bill of Rights includes 10 amendments, each outlining protected freedoms. Participants in the study were asked to choose up to five rights they would prioritize in an internet bill of rights.
Ninety percent of Americans use the internet, but the majority do not think they are protected when they are online. They want specific rights.
The survey found that over half (55%) of Americans agree the US needs a set of laws governing the rights and use principles of the internet, including regulating the use of personal data for companies.
The Best VPN
Over two out of three (69.7%) want the right to access and know when companies are collecting personal data and how it’s being used. Almost half (48.1%) want the right to acquire, correct, or delete personal data from companies and have that request honoured.
Over two in five (43.3%) of Americans want personal data to be secured by companies that collect it.
According to The Pew Research Center four out of five (79%) of Americans are concerned about the way companies use their data. The survey showed that around 70% of people wished to know when companies are collecting personal data and how it is being used
The majority of Americans believe online privacy is a right and desire to have more control over what companies can do with their data – but not all of their data.
Less than one in five (19.1%) wanted the right to move all of their personal data from one network to another. If every American had ownership of their personal data, this could happen – yet was a low priority.
Even fewer (14.9%) Americans wanted to have data privacy around their health and fitness data.
Currently most companies in the US collect user data by default. Users have to opt-out of this feature after they have registered with a site. By then, their data has already been collected. In the UK, users have to opt in to receive marketing information from companies.
Putting privacy first is becoming more and more important. Ensuring you have full control of your data – and managing what companies can do with your data – should be top of any internet bill of rights.
But the potential loss of advertising revenue could be a step too far for most companies who need your personal data to bring in the bucks. For how much longer are you going to give your data away for corporates to continue to make money off the information you freely provide?
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