The Insights Association, the leading nonprofit organization representing the insights industry, celebrated Data Privacy Day by calling once again for a comprehensive U.S. consumer data privacy law to protect consumers, as well as market research and analytics.
In a letter from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Insights Association and 36 other leading business trade groups to the leadership of the Senate Commerce Committee and House Energy & Commerce Committee on January 28, 2025, the groups called for "legislative action needed for a comprehensive national privacy law" and pointed out common principles which would underpin successful legislation.
"Such action will increase access to employment, education, health care, communications, and ability to meet family needs. Furthermore, a national privacy standard will help start-ups and main street businesses to compete on a broader scale, helping to lower prices and widen consumer access to goods and services. These policies are also necessary as technological developments, including the increased application of Artificial Intelligence throughout the economy."
According to the letter, national privacy law begins with "a federal privacy framework that fully preempts state laws related to data privacy and security to establish a uniform privacy standard" that builds upon America's strong track record of privacy protection. This is because businesses and consumers both benefit from "certainty and consistency with regard to laws and enforcement of privacy protections. They lose when they have to navigate a confusing and inconsistent patchwork of state laws."
Other necessary principles include individual rights, transparency, responsible data use, security, the preservation of beneficial data uses, protections for small businesses, and reasonable enforcement and collaborative compliance.
While IA helped to win a variety of improvements to the American Privacy Rights Act in Congress in 2024, that big privacy bill ultimately collapsed.
The Insights Association continues to advocate on capitol hill and with the new Trump Administration for a comprehensive federal privacy law, in coordination with Privacy for America. We look forward to input from the insights industry and our membership as the campaign moves ahead in 2025.
About the Author
Based in Washington, DC, Howard is the Insights Association's lobbyist for the marketing research and data analytics industry, focusing primarily on consumer privacy and data security, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), tort reform, and the funding and integrity of the decennial Census and the American Community Survey (ACS).
Howard has more than two decades of public policy experience. Before the Insights Association, he worked in Congress as senior legislative staffer for then-Representatives Christopher Cox (CA-48) and Cliff Stearns (FL-06). He also served more than four years with a science policy think tank, working to improve the understanding of scientific and social research and methodology among journalists and policymakers.
Howard is also co-director of The Census Project, a 900+ member coalition in support of a fair and accurate Census and ACS.
He has also served previously on the Board of Directors for the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics and and the Association of Government Relations Professionals.
Howard has an MA International Relations from the University of Essex in England and a BA Honors Political Studies from Trent University in Canada, and has obtained the Certified Association Executive (CAE), Professional Lobbying Certificate (PLC) and the Public Policy Certificate (PPC).
When not running advocacy for the Insights Association, Howard enjoys hockey, NFL football, sci-fi and horror movies, playing with his dog, and spending time with family and friends.