Top lawmaker addresses 'fear' of kids' data online by leading the way on a bipartisan privacy standard

Fox News Digital reported that Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) — the Energy and Commerce chairwoman — said that her "biggest fear" as a parent is that her children's personal data could be exploited online.

As a result, she has recently aimed to temper those fears by spearheading a new federal data privacy standard.

"There’s very dangerous activity online, and data collection is foundationally how these algorithms are developed and then ultimately used to target children, but also people in general," Rodgers said during an interview with Fox News Digital.

"This is really my biggest fear as a parent, having three school-aged children, other friends who have had kids that have been targeted online. We know that these algorithms have been targeting children with dangerous content, targeted advertising that leads to dangerous life-threatening behaviors."

Rodgers specifically referenced predatory groups and others who target children online. She noted that children are, many times, connected with these dangerous groups through personal data that's readily available online, per the report.

"We've all heard way too many stories of the eating disorders, the mental health issues that are increasing, self-harm. Unfortunately, kids have been connected with drug dealers or been sold pills that are tainted with fentanyl and died," Rodgers said.

As a result, Rodgers worked with Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) to unveil the American Privacy Rights Act.

“This bipartisan, bicameral draft legislation is the best opportunity we’ve had in decades to establish a national data privacy and security standard that gives people the right to control their personal information,” Chairs Rodgers and Cantwell said.

“This landmark legislation represents the sum of years of good-faith efforts in both the House and Senate. It strikes a meaningful balance on issues that are critical to moving comprehensive data privacy legislation through Congress. Americans deserve the right to control their data, and we’re hopeful that our colleagues in the House and Senate will join us in getting this legislation signed into law.”

“This landmark legislation gives Americans the right to control where their information goes and who can sell it. It reins in Big Tech by prohibiting them from tracking, predicting, and manipulating people’s behaviors for profit without their knowledge and consent. Americans overwhelmingly want these rights, and they are looking to us, their elected representatives, to act,” said Chair Rodgers.

“I’m grateful to my colleague, Senator Cantwell, for working with me in a bipartisan manner on this important legislation and look forward to moving the bill through regular order on Energy and Commerce this month.”

Chair Cantwell noted: “A federal data privacy law must do two things: it must make privacy a consumer right, and it must give consumers the ability to enforce that right."

“Working in partnership with Representative McMorris Rodgers, our bill does just that. This bipartisan agreement is the protections Americans deserve in the Information Age.”

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