The United States is home to notorious technology companies collecting billions of data-points on their users, but the nation’s data privacy regulations are nonexistent. Customer privacy is increasingly invaded without their knowledge, understanding, or consent; it is time for government action.

Congress held dozens of hearings with executives from Facebook, Google, and Amazon, criticizing their abusive data collection. However, Congress fails to implement proactive measures to protect consumers. Rapid growth in online platforms results in the rapid growth of stored data. Companies create digital profiles of users, which they analyze and sell to make a profit or end up publicly exposed in a breach.

According to Pew, 70% of Americans assume tracking of their online and offline activities. 80% feel they have little-to-no control over this data. Gradually, Americans are questioning the legitimacy of these practices, with 75% calling for regulation. Undoubtedly, Congress is lagging. The EU enacted the precedent-setting General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018. Considered more robust, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2020. At the federal level, Senate Democrats have led contentious proposals pulling from the CCPA. Each time, an inconclusive debate develops about how to approach it. Unsurprisingly, tech giants are opposed. Firstly, they rely on extensive user data for targeted advertising, amounting to nearly 90% of Facebook and Google’s revenue. Without those creepily personalized ads, they risk losing revenue. Secondly, these proposals allow states to add variations, creating a mess for online platforms. To compromise, standardized regulation, without state deviation, is crucial. The essential requirements include the secure storage of data, the right to request stored data, the right to know how data is used, and the ability to prevent its sale. Collectively, this puts users in control.

Welcome to the digital world; Congress needs to keep up.