On April 30, the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) provided comments to Representative Lori Trahan concerning the revision of the Privacy Act of 1974. These comments emphasize the need for updates to accommodate technological advancements and new threats to federal data privacy.
CDT's submission outlines potential privacy issues linked to federal government data practices. It also reflects on CDT’s extensive advocacy work related to the Privacy Act over the past two decades.
In their recommendations, CDT calls for Congress to fill existing gaps in the Privacy Act by making several key changes. They suggest updating the definition of "system of records," limiting the "routine use" exemption, expanding the Act's coverage to non-U.S. persons, and strengthening privacy notices.