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Senate Approves Corman’s Privacy Protection Legislation
HARRISBURG -- Responding
to increasing public concern over identity theft and other privacy issues, the
State Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved a bill sponsored by Sen. Jake
Corman (R-Centre) that would crack down on those who misuse personal
information provided in privacy statements.
Senate Bill 705 would
expand the definition of deceptive or fraudulent business practices to include
someone who knowingly makes a false or misleading statement in a privacy policy
regarding the use of personal information submitted by individuals. The bill
would apply to privacy policies published on the Internet or otherwise
distributed to the public.
Under Corman’s bill, such
a violation would be considered a summary offense, and those found guilty could
be fined between $50 and $500 for each violation.
Corman, who chairs the
Senate Communications and Technology Committee, said the bill is part of a
comprehensive privacy package he has developed to better protect Pennsylvania
residents in the information age.
Corman noted that consumers have increasingly
expressed concerns about invasions of their privacy and personal lives. A
recent Gallop poll found that Americans are deeply concerned about the
confidentiality of their medical information. Corman said the growth of the
Internet has also contributed to concerns about information tracking and data
collection and misuse.
He said the privacy issue is especially timely,
giving the soaring amount of data that is now being collected, examined and
marketed over the Internet, often without the knowledge of consumers.
“In a world where information is the hottest
commodity around, we -- as a society and individuals -- have to take a hard look
at where the right to know ends and our right to privacy begins.”
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