Guarding Privacy in the Digital Age: Maine Lawmakers Take up the Challenge

As more and more of our personal information is shared, it is also at risk. The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine and a group of bipartisan legislators have unveiled a new package of laws aimed at better protecting Mainers’ privacy. Maine legislator Diane Russell’s bill – The Maine Online Privacy Protection Act – would require commercial websites to conspicuously let Maine consumers know when personal information is being collected and shared. Republican Rep. Mike McClellan, wants to protect social media privacy at work. His bill would block employers from getting passwords to their employee’s social media accounts, something that’s already happening. These are just two of a package of five bills with bipartisan support that aim to protect personal privacy. The others would limit drone use for domestic spying and require law enforcement to get warrants before they can track cell phone data and text messages. With identity theft being one of the fastest growing crimes in the U.S., it’s time for laws to catch up with technology. While these bills have bipartisan sponsors, it’s unclear whether there will be support from businesses or law enforcement.
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