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Rep. Bono Mack plans hearing on White House privacy plan
Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.), chairman of the Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Manufacturing and Trade, said she plans to hold a hearing next month on the White House's "Privacy Bill of Rights," which the administration unveiled Thursday.
“Protecting consumer privacy online and preserving American innovation are not mutually exclusive, but they do require a very careful juggling act," Bono Mack said. "I am committed to achieving both. While I look forward to working with President Obama and [Commerce] Secretary [John] Bryson on this critically important issue, any rush-to-judgment could have a chilling effect on our economy and potentially damage, if not cripple, online innovation."
The White House declared that consumers have a right to control what data organizations collect from them and how they use it. Companies' privacy policies should be easy to understand and companies must protect user data from hacking and leaks, the document states.
The outline says consumers have a right to "reasonable limits" on the collection of their personal data and a right to access the data that companies have gathered on them.
Bono Mack warned against enacting tough privacy regulations like European governments have.
"That’s why my subcommittee has been taking a thoughtful, measured approach to online privacy, which I strongly believe — over the long haul — will benefit both American consumers and the U.S. economy," she said. "Once we have heard from all the stakeholders, we can make an informed decision about the need for legislation.”
Bono Mack has been particularly critical of Google in recent weeks and has demanded multiple briefings with Google officials to discuss their privacy policies.
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