NAR Educates Congressional Staff on Data Privacy Priorities

On Friday July 12 NAR staff participated in a congressional staff briefing hosted by the Main Street Privacy coalition to educate them on how main street businesses collect and handle customer data.  The coalition set forth six principles that they wish to see in any federal data privacy law.  

These principles include:

• No Exemptions. Every industry sector that handles consumer information should have legal obligations to protect consumer data under the law.
• Direct Legal Responsibilities.  Small businesses should not need to apply privacy standards on other businesses through contracts.  All businesses that handle private data should have their own, direct legal obligations under the law.
• Responsibility for Conduct.  Any privacy law should make businesses responsible for their own conduct – and not expose other businesses, including contractors and franchises, to liability for the transgressions of a business partner. Finally, we believe that any privacy policy should include a data security standard for businesses as well as a uniform process for notifying customers about data breaches.
• Allow Customer Services and Benefits.  Any federal data privacy framework should preserve the ability of consumers and businesses to voluntarily establish mutually beneficial business-customer relationships and set the terms of those relationships, thus maintaining the option to offer rewards and loyalty programs.
• Consumer Transparency.  Consumers deserve to know what categories of personal data businesses collect and how that data is used.
• Federal Standard. There should be federal policy on data privacy that protects consumers in a nationwide, uniform and consistent way.