President Biden Takes Action to Restrict Sale of Sensitive American Data to China and Russia
In a groundbreaking move, President Biden issued an executive order on Wednesday aimed at restricting the sale of sensitive American data to China, Russia, and four other countries. This unprecedented action is designed to prevent personally identifying information from being obtained for nefarious purposes such as blackmail, scams, or surveillance.
The executive order directs the Justice Department to draft rules that would limit the sale of information about Americans’ locations, health, genetics, financial information, biometric data, and other sensitive information to countries including China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela, as well as entities linked to those nations. The White House emphasized the potential dangers of this data falling into the wrong hands, particularly for individuals in the military, national security community, dissidents, journalists, and academics.
According to a senior administration official, countries like China and Russia have been acquiring this type of data from brokers and other sources, using it for purposes such as blackmail and surveillance. The executive order is part of a broader effort to address the growing digital cold war between the United States and China, which has seen escalating tensions over issues such as technology access and data security.
The move reflects a global trend of countries seeking to control data for their own protection and economic interests. While the United States has historically taken a more hands-off approach to regulating the flow of information, this executive order signals a shift towards greater oversight and protection of sensitive data.
The rules outlined in the executive order will undergo a public feedback process before being finalized, with considerations including a ban on the sale of genomics data and restrictions on providing sensitive data through investment deals. Companies may be able to bypass these restrictions by implementing privacy protections such as data encryption.
As President Biden prepares to deliver the State of the Union address next week, this executive order underscores the administration’s commitment to safeguarding American data and addressing threats posed by foreign entities. Despite the challenges posed by data breaches and cyber threats, the United States is taking proactive steps to protect its citizens’ information and maintain control over sensitive data.
