Privacy and Security

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Privacy issues are a growing concern of Americans, especially as the Internet and technology have made personal information more accessible and easier to collect and manipulate.  NCSL tracks Internet privacy laws aimed at commercial websites, Internet service providers, and private employers.  

We also track personal privacy laws as they relate to cyberstalking, cyberharassment, and cyberbullying, as well as laws to protect the privacy of 911 caller information. Personal identifying information is often collected by businesses and stored in various formats, both digital and traditional paper. With identity theft a growing problem in the country, many states have passed laws that require entities to destroy, dispose, or otherwise make personal information unreadable or undecipherable, in order to protect an individual’s privacy.

NCSL has also featured information about security breach disclosure laws. Other areas covered include state actions related to electronic surveillance, radio frequency identification, and event data recorders in vehicles. Ten states have constitutional provisions that expressly provide greater privacy protections than those provided for in the U.S. Constitution.

This website is organized around the following key issues related to Privacy and Security: