Biden to issue executive order aimed at protecting Americans’ sensitive data from China and other ‘hostile countries’ - Lemmy.World

The measure targets the business of selling people’s personal information, which the White House said could be used “to track Americans (including military service members), pry into their personal lives," and be passed on to foreign intelligence. President Joe Biden will issue an executive order Wednesday intended to safeguard the personal data of American citizens from countries deemed hostile. The executive order centers on the business of selling people’s personal information, in which companies and so-called data brokers collect and trade data. The Biden Administration is worried that data brokers and other commercial entities will sell this information to “countries of concern-which have a track record of collecting and misusing data on Americans.” Lawmakers and intelligence agencies have previously expressed concerns that the Chinese Communist Party is amassing a wealth of U.S. data, posing national security concerns. The order focusses on specific, sensitive information like genomic data, biometric data, personal health data, geolocation data, financial data and other kinds of personally identifiable information.