Brittenford Systems, a financial systems consulting firm, recently posted a great blog about the need for our nation to update its digital privacy laws. Here are some key excerpts:
How much has technology changed since 1986? A lot. How much has the major law protecting the privacy of users participating in electronic communication changed? Negligibly. Currently, personal and business protections from government intrusion into stored data relies on an outdated bill passed well before the advent of the full scale internet, during the waning years of the Cold War.
[T]he law as it stands inadequately protects businesses and consumers in modern times from intrusion into personal data stored in servers abroad. But there is a way to improve data privacy. the Law Enforcement Access to Data Stored Abroad (LEADS) Act.
The growing threat of privacy and confidentiality intrusions is eroding trust in technology. Without user trust, innovation and its benefits are undermined. As troubling, people are losing confidence that our nation is upholding the commitment to privacy enshrined in the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
The Law Enforcement Access to Data Stored Abroad Act—the LEADS Act—will help restore trust in tech by ensuring that digital communications and data receive the same privacy protections as paper letters and documents.
We strongly encourage you to read the entire post, “LEADS Act: Fighting for Email and Cloud Computing Privacy” on the Brittenford Systems website. Our thanks to Brittenford CTO and Voices for Innovation leader Ryan Risley for his help in educating others about this critical issue. You can also learn more and take action at VFI’s LEADS Action Center.
