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The insights industry faced challenges on multiple advocacy fronts in April, such as: growing risks from the boom in generative AI; new privacy laws and regulations; an FTC proposal to eliminate noncompete agreements; a new attempt at insourcing insights work by the Census Bureau; and a proposed new tax on data in Nevada.

While the Insights Association “agrees that there should be restrictions on noncompete agreements” in employment contracts, the leading nonprofit association for the insights industry filed comments on April 18, 2023 differing with the Federal Trade Commission's proposed regulations on “what such restrictions should look like and how they should be achieved.”

The leading trade association for the insights industry told Congress on April 14, 2023 that the Census Household Panel, a program the Census Bureau aims to insource from its failed contract to develop an online research panel, is a waste of taxpayer money.

Even as regulations implementing the new California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) were being finalized, the insights industry had to raise concerns about a new round of rules regarding cybersecurity audits, risk assessments and automated decision-making.

Welcome to spring, where the insights industry has been facing challenges in regulation and legislation, including state and federal data privacy (especially the finalized rules you need to know in California), the treatment of research subjects as independent contractors, and prohibitions on non-compete agreements. We also welcomed the new scathing conclusions of a federal investigation into the Census Bureau’s attempt to compete against the insights industry, and reviewed the players on Congr...

In response to a federal inquiry into privacy, equity and civil rights, Privacy for America urged “recommendations that will buttress and improve upon existing civil rights protections in ways that will not unreasonably restrict access to data that substantially benefits all of America.” The coalition also cited the Insights Association's Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Council efforts as evidence of how responsible data use can benefit underserved or marginalized communities.

A federal watchdog has criticized the Ask U.S. Panel project, concluding an investigation of the Census Bureau’s attempt to develop an online research panel to compete with the insights industry.

Privacy legislation and regulation kicked into gear during February at the state and federal level. The feds are proposing to prohibit all non-compete agreements, and changes are on the table for Kentucky’s new tax on insights services. That is just a taste of what’s been happening this past month in advocacy impacting the insights industry.

The leading trade association for the insights industry is urging a key Congressional committee "to craft a preemptive national privacy law."

With Colorado’s new comprehensive privacy law coming into effect this summer, the Insights Association called for clarifications in the proposed rules to aid compliance by the insights industry.