Bill Overview
Title: Health and Location Data Protection Act of 2022
Description: This bill generally prohibits data brokers from selling, reselling, licensing, trading, transferring, or sharing an individual's health data or location data.
Sponsors: Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals whose health and location data is collected and traded
Estimated Size: 280000000
- The bill affects individuals whose health or location data may be gathered and sold by data brokers.
- Given the global nature of technology and data traffic, individuals from any part of the world may potentially be affected if their data is handled by data brokers operating under the jurisdiction affected by the legislation.
- In today's digitized world, billions of people use health apps or devices like smartphones which collect health or location data, so a significant portion of the global population could be impacted by data regulations.
- The act aims to enhance privacy and protect sensitive information, especially as data sharing has become commonplace among tech companies.
Reasoning
- The policy is expected to primarily benefit individuals who are concerned about their privacy and the sale of personal health and location data.
- Not all individuals are fully aware of how their data is shared or sold, so the perceived impact of the policy may be varied.
- Business models that rely heavily on the sale of user data might oppose the policy, potentially influencing the implementation or funding aspects.
- The policy targets a broad potential user base, but only a subset of these individuals might feel a significant improvement in their wellbeing due to heightened privacy measures.
- Users who have previously experienced privacy breaches may gain peace of mind, reflecting a medium to high impact.
- Budget constraints suggest that while the policy could affect millions, direct measurable changes on wellbeing might be more limited due to difficulty in enforcing data regulations.
- Technologically advanced, urban areas may see a higher impact compared to rural areas due to heavier use of location and health-data driven apps.
Simulated Interviews
Software Developer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel that my data privacy is often compromised when using apps.
- With this policy, I would feel more at ease knowing my information isn't being freely distributed for profit.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Marketing Executive (Dallas, TX)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe controlling data is crucial, but this could limit innovation in marketing.
- Protecting individual data is however, a good step.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Health Researcher (Boston, MA)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy will potentially limit the amount of data available for vital research.
- While privacy is important, it's also crucial to balance that with access to data that can advance health research.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Retired (Orlando, FL)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I didn't realize how much of my personal data was being shared.
- This policy makes me feel more secure about using my health apps.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Student (New York, NY)
Age: 22 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I constantly worry about who could potentially misuse my data.
- This policy will give people like me some peace.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Farmer (Rural Iowa)
Age: 63 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I do not use smartphones or apps that often, so the policy doesn't change much for me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Freelance Writer (Portland, OR)
Age: 31 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've been advocating for stronger privacy laws for years, and this feels like a win.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Data Scientist (Houston, TX)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While I understand the purpose of this policy, the implementation needs to balance privacy with the potential to innovate.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Tech Entrepreneur (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This law could affect my business plans, as data access becomes more restricted.
- From a personal standpoint, it's a relief to know my own data is protected.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Barista (Chicago, IL)
Age: 27 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I never really thought about who might be using the data collected on me.
- It's good to know there are protections now.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000000 (Low: $400000000, High: $600000000)
Year 2: $450000000 (Low: $350000000, High: $550000000)
Year 3: $400000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $500000000)
Year 5: $350000000 (Low: $250000000, High: $450000000)
Year 10: $300000000 (Low: $200000000, High: $400000000)
Year 100: $250000000 (Low: $150000000, High: $350000000)
Key Considerations
- The cost of implementing and enforcing the policy, which requires coordination among multiple agencies.
- The evolving technology landscape and how this legislation might need adaptation over time.
- Balancing the need for privacy with the benefits of data-driven innovation and industry growth.
- Potential resistance from tech companies and data brokers that may affect the deployment of the policy.