The NAI Supports Limits on the Sale of U.S. Consumer Data  

Washington, DC (February 28, 2024) – The Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) released the following statement from NAI President and CEO Leigh Freund.

“The NAI supports the President’s plan to ban sales of sensitive U.S. consumer data to foreign adversaries. The nonconsensual sale of U.S. consumer data to foreign governments is unethical and poses a serious privacy threat to consumers. 

In 2020, the NAI published a set of Enhanced Standards to encourage companies to voluntarily commit to limit how information collected for legitimate advertising and commercial purposes can be used, specifically prohibiting the use, sale, or transfer of Precise Location Information for law enforcement, national security, or bounty-hunting purposes. While our best practices have been embraced by privacy minded companies, they don’t carry the weight of law, which is why we support new restrictions put in place by President Biden to prevent the access to this data by foreign adversaries. 

Of course, sales of U.S. consumer data to our adversaries isn’t the only potential threat to Americans’ privacy with respect to sensitive consumer data. The NAI also supports the 4^th Amendment is Not for Sale Act, which would limit the purchase of sensitive U.S. consumer data by U.S. government agencies and is consistent with our 2022 Voluntary Enhanced Standards. 

The NAI greatly appreciates President Biden’s commitment to preserving an open internet by bolstering the beneficial and appropriate uses of U.S. consumer data, and his repeated calls on Congress to pass comprehensive bipartisan privacy legislation to create a singular national privacy framework for U.S. citizens. The NAI looks forward to working with the Biden administration, the FTC, and with leading state policymakers to develop strong protections for consumer data while preserving the robust U.S. digital media industry powered by data-driven advertising and services.”

MEDIA CONTACT:
Rachel Cousins
rachel@networkadvertising.org
(413) 977 8374