Cloud adoption and innovation are driven by user trust. Individuals and businesses must be confident that their private information is secure and protected. Unfortunately, our nation’s current legal framework for digital privacy was developed nearly 30 years ago and does not contemplate the era of cloud-stored data or the borderless nature of the Internet.
Now a commonsense reform has been proposed: The Law Enforcement Access to Data Stored Abroad (LEADS) Act of 2015 will strengthen privacy in the digital age and promote trust in technology, while enabling law enforcement to still engage in actions that protect public safety. The LEADS Act has been introduced in the U.S. Senate, sponsored by U.S. Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Dean Heller (R-NV), and House introduction is expected soon.
Voices for Innovation strongly endorses this legislation and will be encouraging our members to take action to support this bill.
For more information on the LEADS Act and what’s at stake, check out the following commentaries and resources:
- “The LEADS Act: A Common Sense Reform of Our Outdated Privacy Laws,” on Microsoft on the Issues
- Digital Constitution website
- Joint Statement of Support for the LEADS Act (signed by several VFI member companies)
- “LEADS Act Critical to Future of Innovation Economy,” commentary by ACT | The App Association
- “Hatch, Coons, and Heller Introduce Bipartisan LEADS Act to Protect Data Stored Abroad,” from the office of U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch
