Why We Need Federal Privacy Laws

Most of us didn’t consent to having our every click, swipe, and scroll tracked, but it’s happening anyway.

Right now, your digital privacy depends on where you live and whether tech companies feel like playing fair. Some states have privacy protections in place. Others? Not so much. And there’s no consistent federal law making sure your data isn’t being scooped up, sold off, or exploited in ways you never agreed to.

Your Zip Code Shouldn’t Decide Your Privacy

Only a handful of states, like California, Colorado, and Connecticut, have passed meaningful consumer privacy laws. That means over half the country is still wide open to unchecked data collection. That’s a problem. Because tech companies aren’t waiting around. They’re already tracking behavior, building profiles, and using that data to make decisions about everything from advertising to healthcare access. And unless you’re an expert at reading dense legal documents, chances are you don’t even know what you’ve opted into.

Opting Out Isn’t the Same as Protection

Here’s what’s wild: in most cases, the responsibility to protect your data falls on you. You’re expected to opt out of tracking, toggle your settings, download browser extensions, read through cookie policies, and stay up-to-date on every app’s latest privacy update. It’s a lot and most people don’t even know where to start.

A recent survey from Pew Research shows that 79% of Americans are concerned about how companies use the data they collect. But fewer than 20% say they feel they have meaningful control over what’s shared. If we’re all worried and no one feels empowered, then the system isn’t working.

What Federal Privacy Laws Can Do

Strong national privacy legislation would change the game. It could:

• Create a baseline level of protection for everyone, no matter their state
• Require companies to be transparent about how they collect and use data
• Empower regulators to hold companies accountable for abuse
  

What You Can Do

We’re not powerless. Here’s how to stay grounded and get involved:

• Learn your rights (and where the gaps are)
• Call your reps and support bills like the American Data Privacy and Protection Act
• Sign up for alerts from digital rights orgs like EFF, Fight for the Future, and of course, us.
• Share this info with your people. The more we know, the more we can move together.

And if you want to build your foundation from the ground up, start with our free course:
🧠 Internet Street Smarts

This isn’t about opting out. It’s about showing up for ourselves and each other. Because no one should have to be a tech expert to deserve digital safety. And no one should be left behind because their state didn’t pass the right bill. We need a future where care not capital sets the rules. Federal privacy laws are a step toward that.

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