As Demand for Consumer Data Increases, So Does the Need for Data Privacy Laws

The demand for consumers’ personal information is at an all-time high, as targeted marketing is now able to use big data to process large amounts of personal information accurately and at a fast pace. However, there currently is no nationwide federal privacy legislation to protect consumers’ data privacy rights or to inform companies as to what constitutes a violation. How can lawyers help clients navigate data privacy issues so that consumers know their rights and companies know how to use and protect data?

Invasion of Data Privacy

Data privacy intrusions are not often brought about by choice. Consumers are now used to seeing targeted ads on the computer screen as a result of previous searches. Marketing specialists are aware of consumers’ buying habits, frequently visited websites, movies watched, foods eaten, and much more. Political campaigns also routinely harvest similar information to assist in assessing likely voting preferences. Many companies have implemented biometric systems to log in employees at their places of work, or have security systems that can monitor how often and when you clocked in and clocked out, when you logged in to your work computer, and when you logged off.