Consumer Reports Urges Governor Ivey to Veto Alabama Personal Data Protection Act Over Privacy Concerns
Consumer Reports, a nonprofit organization focused on marketplace transparency, is calling on Alabama Governor Kay Ivey to veto House Bill 351, known as the Alabama Personal Data Protection Act. The organization argues that the bill fails to adequately protect consumer privacy. According to Matt Schwartz, a policy analyst at Consumer Reports, the legislation adopts a minimal approach to privacy, lacking strong definitions and enforcement mechanisms. The bill includes basic consumer rights, such as the right to know what information companies collect, the right to delete certain data, and the right to limit some data disclosures. However, Consumer Reports criticizes the bill for its weak definitions of terms like 'sale' and 'targeted advertising,' which could allow companies to continue processing consumer data. The bill also lacks a universal opt-out provision and sufficient enforcement mechanisms. State Representative Mike Shaw, the bill's sponsor, defends the legislation as a balanced framework that prot... 
