Senator MD Rahman Votes to Put Residents Back in Control of Their Personal Data

Senator MD Rahman (D-Manchester) voted Thursday to pass legislation that will safeguard Connecticut residents’ personal information from exploitation by data brokers, surveillance technology companies, and federal agencies.

Senate Bill 4, “An Act Concerning Consumer Privacy and Protection,” addresses a broad range of emerging privacy threats.

“People in Manchester, Glastonbury, Andover, and Bolton have a right to know that their personal information is not being quietly sold to whoever is willing to pay for it,” Senator Rahman said. “This bill puts residents back in control of their own data and makes clear that Connecticut will not allow surveillance tools to be turned against the people who live here. This is a practical step to protect the privacy and safety of every family in our state.”

Senate Bill 4 introduces comprehensive privacy measures that address emerging threats to consumer data. The bill tackles critical privacy concerns, including the lightly regulated sale of geolocation data, and facial recognition technology, and the exploitative practices of data brokers.

• Data brokers: Consumers may request, at no cost, the deletion of any personal data collected by a data broker.
• Facial recognition: Businesses using facial recognition in public spaces must disclose it at each entrance and provide a process for consumers to request removal of their images.
• Dynamic pricing: Strict disclosure requirements apply when businesses use algorithmic pricing to increase prices.
• Geolocation data: Controllers and processors are banned from selling or sharing precise geolocation data.
• Genetic Testing: Consumers would have the right to their own genetic data when using direct to consumer genetic testing services, and create more transparency in their policies.
• Volume of Ads: Streaming platforms cannot transmit the audio of any commercial advertisement at a volume that is louder than the volume established by the Federal Communications Commission for television commercials.

Real-World Harm Driving the Legislation

Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff submitted written testimony explaining how his friend and colleague, Minnesota Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, and her husband, Mark, were assassinated last summer. Although this terrible tragedy was widely reported in the news, what most people do not know is that the murderer, Vance Boelter, obtained Speaker Hortman’s residential address through data broker websites. For just a few dollars, anyone can gain access to personal sensitive information, including home addresses, phone numbers, and even photos of legislators’ homes and license plates.

Earlier this year, Wegmans disclosed the use of facial recognition in its stores, raising concerns that such data could be sold or shared with federal immigration agencies, a concern already realized with geolocation data, which ICE has purchased from commercial data brokers.

Senate Bill 4 now heads to the House.