House Democrat Explores Privacy Act Update
Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Mass., is gathering public input on a potential legislative update for the 1974 Privacy Act in response to Elon Musk’s data-collection activities at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
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Trahan issued a request for information about the legislation, which regulates how the federal government handles sensitive information it collects from individuals.
“Unaccountable billionaires, inexperienced programmers, and unvetted political appointees are perpetrating the biggest government privacy scandal since Watergate,” Trahan said. “The combination of challenges stemming from unchecked government officials and significant technological advances warrant a reevaluation of the Privacy Act of 1974 and related laws governing privacy and federal information technology.”
Comments are due April 30. The House Commerce Committee's bipartisan privacy efforts ran into opposition from House Republican leadership in 2024 (see 2501030039).