A letter, signed by 51 CEOs, was sent to U.S. House and Senate as well as leaders of other committees today urging policymakers to pass a comprehensive national data privacy law. The open letter was sent through the Business Roundtable, an association consisting of CEOs from America's largest companies. At the heart of the matter is the request for federal privacy laws that companies argue should replace various state-level laws that have already been passed. From the letter:
"Consumers should not and cannot be expected to understand rules that may change depending upon the state in which they reside, the state in which they are accessing the internet, and the state in which the company's operation is providing those resources or services. Now is the time for Congress to act and ensure that consumers are not faced with confusion about their rights and protections based on a patchwork of inconsistent state laws. Further, as the regulatory landscape becomes increasingly fragmented and more complex, U.S. innovation and global competitiveness in the digital economy are threatened."