Today Various controversies are being disputed over laws that are about to change the way the internet is handled, such is the example of the famous "Article 13”Which has caused a riot throughout Europe.
And that without forgetting those initiatives that had netizens on their head a few years ago such as "SOPA" "PIPA" and others. Of which, as we mentioned, directly affected the way in which we receive information through the network.
Taking this into account all these proposals, which from one point of view they favor the fight against piracy, at the end of the context they end up damaging free access to information.
Where companies that want to fill their pockets even more, the harmed are the Internet users.
Changing the face of the coin, on the other hand, All those companies that have benefited from our browsing have made use of our data as they please.
Since under the privacy agreements (which hardly anyone reads them) they are their shield to do what they please.
The privacy violations that expose the profiles of social networks, bank accounts, online photos and personal internet activities they have become endemic.
With that in mind, Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon is calling for jail time or multi-billion dollar fines for companies or leaders who admit to such crimes.
A law that can change things
For Senator Ron Wyden, the privacy violations are analogous to the corporate fraud and accounting scandals behind the collapse of Enron and WorldCom.
On the other hand, we cannot forget the great scandal that was generated worldwide by Cambridge Analytica.
That is why Wyden wants new federal privacy protections that are analogous to the rules governing the conduct of corporate executives.
The Democratic legislator recently introduced a bill that would give the Federal Trade Commission the power to establish confidentiality and cybersecurity standards. The bill would impose heavy fines, or even jail time, on companies and managers who misrepresent its compliance.
"The problem is that the Federal Trade Commission on privacy issues, thus far, has literally run out of teeth," Wyden said.
"I'm trying to change this agency to fit the digital age"
The provisions of the 38-page bill:
- Set a "no follow" option for people who use online services. Instead of allowing advertisers to sell their search history, favorite social networks, and online activities, Internet users can choose to pay unspecified fees to protect their privacy.
- Let the FTC set privacy and cybersecurity standards and require large companies to report annually on their privacy practices.
- Penalize large companies that submit false information in their annual privacy report. The penalties could represent 4% of annual turnover, which could reach several billion dollars for the largest social media companies. The leaders could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.
- Require companies to evaluate their algorithms for accuracy, fairness, bias, and discrimination.
"What we essentially stand for is what the big financial services companies have to be under Sarbanes-Oxley," Wyden said.
This is a controversial 2002 law aimed at preventing corporate fraud by requiring publicly traded companies to take steps to ensure the accuracy of their financial reporting and compel senior executives to take personal responsibility for its veracity.
As a member of the Senate minority party, Wyden faces many challenges in getting his bill passed. He introduced the bill last fall and has made little progress in the meantime.
But he hopes that persistent consumer outrage over privacy breaches can give him an added edge, as well as support from the tech industry itself.