Hurry Up and Wait: Data Privacy for the Communication Professional

The pace of change for privacy regulations shows no signs of slowing in 2022 or in the years ahead. The patchwork of state-level laws in the US will present a daunting compliance challenge for communication professionals, not only for corporate communicators but PR pros in firms, those they represent and their businesses.

Below we offer a brief update on recent changes and what is ahead. As we've said previously, the views here are mine and do not constitute legal advice–which is good, because I’m not a lawyer. We suggest consulting a lawyer about issues you read here.

As many of you will recall from my previous articles (you read them, right?) the US stands nearly alone as a major economy without a universal privacy law. Our approach is sector-specific and based on what type of data and institution uses the data. Think banks and Fair Credit Reporting or doctor’s offices and HIPAA.
A Slow Process in D.C.
Though the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) now has a three-to-two Democrat majority, its attempts at crafting privacy regulations will be time-consuming (we’re talking years) and fraught with litigation, though there's some hope.