DELETE Act
Latest action (22 Jun 2023): Introduced
What this bill does
The DELETE Act would direct the Federal Trade Commission to require data brokers—companies that collect and sell personal information about individuals they have no direct relationship with—to register annually and disclose details about their data practices, such as opt-out options and data sources. The FTC would also build a centralized online system letting individuals submit a single request to have their personal information deleted from all registered data brokers and to stop future collection of that information. The system would use encrypted (salted and hashed) matching so brokers can check requests without exposing raw personal data, and brokers would have to check the system regularly and process matching deletion requests within set timeframes.
The bill primarily affects data brokers, who would face new registration, reporting, auditing, and fee obligations, and consumers, who would gain a free, simplified way to request deletion of their information across many companies at once. Certain entities, such as consumer reporting agencies, news organizations, and those verifying identity or preventing fraud, are excluded from the definition of "data broker." The FTC would enforce violations as unfair or deceptive practices and would study and report on the system's effectiveness over several years. State privacy laws would remain in effect unless they conflict with this Act, and stronger state protections would not be preempted.
The bill was introduced in the House on June 22, 2023, by Rep. Lori Trahan and referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. It has not received a vote and, according to available records, has not advanced further in the legislative process.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
This bill was introduced on June 22, 2023, in a previous session of Congress, but it did not receive a vote.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 4311 do?
- The DELETE Act would direct the Federal Trade Commission to require data brokers—companies that collect and sell personal information about individuals they have no direct relationship with—to register annually and disclose details about their data practices, such as opt-out options and data sources. The FTC would also build a centralized online system letting individuals submit a single request to have their personal information deleted from all registered data brokers and to stop future collection of that information. The system would use encrypted (salted and hashed) matching so brokers can check requests without exposing raw personal data, and brokers would have to check the system regularly and process matching deletion requests within set timeframes. The bill primarily affects data brokers, who would face new registration, reporting, auditing, and fee obligations, and consumers, who would gain a free, simplified way to request deletion of their information across many companies at once. Certain entities, such as consumer reporting agencies, news organizations, and those verifying identity or preventing fraud, are excluded from the definition of "data broker." The FTC would enforce violations as unfair or deceptive practices and would study and report on the system's effectiveness over several years. State privacy laws would remain in effect unless they conflict with this Act, and stronger state protections would not be preempted. The bill was introduced in the House on June 22, 2023, by Rep. Lori Trahan and referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. It has not received a vote and, according to available records, has not advanced further in the legislative process.
- Has H.R. 4311 become law?
- Not yet. As of 22 Jun 2023, H.R. 4311 is introduced.
- Who sponsored H.R. 4311?
- H.R. 4311 was sponsored by Rep. Lori Trahan [D-MA3] (Democrat-MA), with 3 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 4311?
- Introduced (22 Jun 2023).
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