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Building Power for Data Privacy in MA

You’re invited to learn and talk with other information professionals about an important data privacy law that we can advocate for in MA! The ACLU MA is mobilizing residents to email legislators about the Location Shield Act and the Data Privacy Act. This virtual event is hosted by the ACLU MA and Redstart Works.

Date: June 26, 2024

Time: 6:30-7:30pm ET

Event registration: Building Power for Data Privacy

Background

Currently, there is no law in Massachusetts or federally to prevent the sale and purchase of cell phone location data. Every day, companies collect and sell sensitive location information from cell phones, revealing information about where we live, work, and socialize.

Here’s just one example: Politico recently reported that a data broker company tracked people’s visits to nearly 600 Planned Parenthood clinics in 48 states, including Massachusetts. The company sold that data to inform one of the largest anti-abortion ad campaigns targeting specific individuals. If anti-abortion extremists can use cellphone location data to target abortion seekers with ads, they can also use that data to target, harass, or threaten patients and providers in our state. Many more examples of “data-brokeraging gone bad,” such as data broker LexisNexis Risk Solutions selling user data to federal immigration authorities to facilitate deportation, can be found in law librarian Sarah Lamdan’s Data Cartels.

The MA Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cyber Security recently reported out the MA Data Privacy Act, a comprehensive data privacy bill that includes provisions to limit data collection and sharing, treat sensitive health and biometric data with extra care, and prohibit the sale of our cellphone location data.

Act now!

The Legislature needs to pass this before the end of July. Join this event to learn more about this legislation, discuss how it relates to our values as information professionals, and get ready to take action!

Live in MA, can’t make it to the event, but want to help? Please email your legislators about the Data Privacy Act and the Location Shield Act, and feel free to contact me if you have further questions!