Bill Overview
Title: Stop Commercial Use of Health Data Act
Description: This bill prohibits commercial entities from using personal health data for commercial advertising.
Sponsors: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Target Audience
Population: Internet users whose personal health data may have been used for commercial advertising
Estimated Size: 310000000
- The bill targets commercial entities, particularly those involved in advertising.
- The bill will have implications for individuals whose health data is used for commercial purposes.
- The global population using online services or apps that require personal health data input will be impacted.
- Populations with access to healthcare systems that digitize health records will be more affected.
- Commercial advertising sectors that previously depended on health data for targeted marketing will have to adjust.
- Users of health-focused apps and services, such as fitness and wellness applications, are likely to see changes in how ads are personalized.
- The global internet-using population is approximately 4.9 billion, many of whom use services that collect health data.
Reasoning
- The policy primarily impacts the commercial and tech sectors by limiting their use of health data, which means individuals who interact with digital health services may notice changes.
- The estimated affected population consists of individuals using digital platforms that collect health data - roughly 310 million Americans could be influenced.
- The budget constraints suggest the primary efforts will be on the legal enforcement side, minimizing direct personal assistance aside from protecting data privacy.
- For most individuals, the direct impact on their immediate wellbeing may be low to medium depending upon their engagement with health data-driven products.
- Uptake and enforcement of the policy will influence long-term wellbeing, especially as individuals gain more control over their data privacy and less exposure to health-targeted ads.
Simulated Interviews
Marketing Specialist (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe privacy is crucial and this policy makes me feel more secure using health apps.
- It's hard to predict how it will affect my work, but I think we'll just shift our strategy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Software Engineer (Austin, TX)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think the policy is well-intentioned, but it's going to make things challenging for businesses like ours.
- Users might see less relevant ads, but overall I support stronger privacy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Freelance Writer (New York, NY)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As someone conscious of privacy rights, I'm glad to see laws catching up to technology.
- It might be a bit jarring to see irrelevant ads initially, but it's worth it.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Healthcare Administrator (Chicago, IL)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's about time we prioritize patient privacy, even if it means rethinking how we do advertising.
- Hospitals won't be directly affected, but the broader use of digital records will be.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
College Student (Boston, MA)
Age: 21 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's good that I'll have more control over my data privacy.
- As a tech enthusiast, I'm curious to see how companies adapt to these changes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Digital Marketing Manager (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Finally, a policy that puts people's privacy before profits.
- It might complicate advertising strategies, but it's necessary.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Retired (Miami, FL)
Age: 65 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it's great that my data won't be used to sell me stuff I don't need.
- I hope it encourages better practices in data security.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Data Scientist (Seattle, WA)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's essential to align tech growth with privacy concerns.
- Having policy support makes our work in privacy-centric models much easier.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Primary Care Physician (Houston, TX)
Age: 58 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- My patients will appreciate more privacy and less intrusive marketing.
- Telemedicine needs to ensure data protection; this is one step closer.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Entrepreneur (Denver, CO)
Age: 31 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This will change the landscape for startups relying on ad revenue.
- It'll push us to find creative solutions, which could be positive in the long run.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000000 (Low: $400000000, High: $600000000)
Year 2: $400000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $500000000)
Year 3: $350000000 (Low: $250000000, High: $450000000)
Year 5: $300000000 (Low: $200000000, High: $400000000)
Year 10: $250000000 (Low: $150000000, High: $350000000)
Year 100: $100000000 (Low: $50000000, High: $150000000)
Key Considerations
- The need for robust monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance with the new regulations.
- Potential pushback from affected industries over loss of advertising revenue.
- Uncertainty over the exact scale of economic impact on advertising and technology sectors.
- Importance of public awareness about the changes to encourage compliance and maintain trust in digital platforms.