Biden Takes Action to Limit Sale of Personal Data to China and Russia

President Biden will issue an executive order to restrict the sale of American data to China, Russia, and four other countries in an effort to protect sensitive information from being used for malicious purposes. The order aims to prevent personally identifying data, such as locations, health records, and genetics, from being obtained by these countries or entities linked to them. It also covers financial information, biometric data, and other sensitive government-related data.

The White House expressed concerns that this type of data could be used for blackmail, particularly against individuals in the military or national security sectors, as well as dissidents, journalists, and academics. This move marks the first broad prohibition on selling digital data to specific countries, as data brokers collect a vast amount of personal information on individuals and sell it to marketers for targeted advertising.

Officials revealed that countries like China and Russia have been acquiring such data from brokers and other corporate sources to use for blackmail and surveillance. The executive order is part of the ongoing digital tension between the U.S. and China, with previous actions targeting Chinese hardware suppliers and investment restrictions in sensitive technology development.

Other countries, like those in Europe, have also implemented measures to control data flow within their borders for protection and economic purposes. The U.S. historically embraced a hands-off approach to internet data flow but is now taking steps to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access.

The new rules will go through a process at the Justice Department where feedback from the public and companies will be taken into account. The administration is considering further restrictions on the sale of genomics data and is exploring ways for companies to ensure data privacy protection. The executive order comes ahead of Biden’s upcoming State of the Union address and aims to enhance data security measures in response to growing threats of data breaches and misuse.

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