OLYMPIA – In an age where personal data has become the new gold rush, Rep. Shelley Kloba (D–Kenmore) has introduced the People’s Privacy Act to protect the autonomy, safety, and privacy of Washingtonians. This landmark legislation empowers individuals to take back control over their most valuable asset—their personal data—and ensures that companies can no longer profit at the expense of consumer rights.
“Our personal data is the new Western frontier—a resource so valuable that corporations track our every move to extract and exploit it,” said Rep. Kloba. “The People’s Privacy Act is about reclaiming our digital autonomy, protecting our safety, and putting control back where it belongs: in the hands of the people.”
Every search, click, and interaction generates data—drawing a deeply personal portrait of who we are, what we believe, and how we live. This information fuels a billion-dollar industry, allowing companies to profit by targeting ads, influencing behavior, and even selling sensitive information to the highest bidder. Without robust protections, individuals are left vulnerable to exploitation, discrimination, and breaches of trust.
The People’s Privacy Act challenges this status quo by establishing strong, people-first privacy rights. It recognizes that data privacy isn’t just about convenience—it’s about autonomy, fairness, and safety in a digital world.
Key Provisions of the People’s Privacy Act:
- Data Minimization: Requires companies to collect and process only the personal data necessary to provide their product or service.
- Consumer Opt-Out: Empowers consumers to opt out of targeted advertising, the sale of their personal data, and decisions made solely by automated systems.
- Protecting Minors: Prohibits the sale of personal data and targeted advertising directed at children and teens, safeguarding their online privacy.
- Prohibiting Exploitation: Bans the sale of sensitive data, including health information, without explicit authorization.
- Preventing Discrimination: Protects individuals from unfair treatment based on their privacy choices.
“Representative Kloba’s People’s Privacy Act provides the broad privacy protections that Washingtonians need,” said Kara Williams, EPIC Law Fellow. “The bill sets meaningful limits on how much data companies can collect, prohibits the sale of sensitive data, and bans targeted advertising to kids and teens. EPIC urges the Washington State Legislature to enact this important legislation this session.”
Rep. Kloba has crafted the bill in collaboration with leading privacy advocates, including the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) and Consumer Reports. “We applaud Representative Kloba for introducing comprehensive privacy legislation that puts consumer protection first,” said Matt Schwartz, policy analyst at Consumer Reports. “For too long, tech companies have abused their power to exploit our personal data without meaningful accountability. This bill provides strong, default protections that appropriately shifts the onus of privacy protection from consumers to businesses themselves. We look forward to working with the Representative to move this measure forward.”
With Data Privacy Day on January 28, the introduction of the People’s Privacy Act highlights the urgent need for stronger protections in an era of unchecked data collection. The legislation harmonizes with Washington’s My Health My Data Act to safeguard sensitive health information while ensuring responsible data use.
“Our lives are lived online, and our data should not be a free-for-all for corporations,” Kloba said. “This bill ensures that individuals—not companies—decide how their data is used.”