The Data Accountability and Trust Act (DATA Act), (H.R. 580), has been introduced in the House of Representatives. The bill would provide a nationwide data security standard, backed by FTC enforcement and civil penalties, as well as provisions requiring notification to affected individuals in the event of a data breach. Meanwhile, a similar bill, the Data Security and Breach Notification Act (S. 177) was introduced in the Senate.
According to the release, Commercial entities that own or process personal information would be required to implement effective information security procedures and policies to safeguard that information. Following a breach, entities would have to notify the affected individuals, in addition to the FTC. The FTC and state attorney generals would enforce the provisions of the bill, which would allow for civil penalties of up to $5 million for violations.
Source: http://www.insideprivacy.com/
W. Barry Nixon is the COO, PreemploymentDirectory.com the leading background screening information portal and online worldwide directory of professional background screening firms and Suppliers to the background screening industry. He co-authored the landmark book, Background Screening & Investigations: Managing Hiring Risk from the HR and Security Perspective. He also is the publisher of award winning newsletters, The Background Buzz and The Global Background Screener, and the author of the Background Checks column in PI Magazine.
In addition, Barry is a past recipient of the elite ‘Top 25 Influential People in Security’ by Security Magazine and past Co-Chair, International Committee for the National Association for Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS). He currently serves as a Global Ambassador for NAPBS.
You can contact Barry at 1-949-770-5264 or online at wbnixon@preemploymentdirectory.com