Data privacy regulation in the United States is sector-specific and determined by state and local governments. Most states already have laws aimed at data breaches and as of July, some now have comprehensive data privacy laws modeled somewhat on the European Union’s General Data Privacy Regulation (GDPR). Some, like Illinois, also have specific laws to govern the collection and use of biometric data. Biometric data, which includes biological data or characteristics about the unique behavioral and physical characteristics of individual persons, can include things like fingerprints, DNA, retinal patterns, iris patterns, facial images and recognition, voice matching, and body part shapes.
