Stop big tech from spying on Maine.

Corporations have built a surveillance economy, collecting people’s most sensitive information without their consent – all to turn a profit. This risks our safety, exacerbates inequality, and threatens our democracy.

Big Tech is Watching Our Every Move.

Spying on us across the web: Tracking systems are built into nearly every website and app, collecting information about your every click, search, and action across the web – whether you give them consent or not.

Discriminating based on race and gender: Big businesses are increasingly feeding our data to algorithms to make decisions about hiring, offering loans, accepting students, and more. This brings redlining into the digital age.

Risking consumer safety: The more a company collects on us, the more exposed we are in a data breach. This risk increases when companies store data for long periods of time or share our information with other companies. 

Manipulating voters and threatening democracy: Companies use our personal information to manipulate people into voting certain ways, not voting at all, or joining movements to undermine democracy itself.

It's Time to Implement Nation-Leading Privacy Protections in Maine.

Most states receive a failing grade on data privacy, but pending legislation could provide Maine's people with the strongest protections in the nation. Read more about the data privacy scorecard here.

The specific language in LD 1977 has not been finalized, but we are urging lawmakers to adopt the following policies:

Data minimization: Data minimization limits the collection and use of personal information to what a consumer would expect a company to collect to provide a good or service.

Civil rights protections: Our information is increasingly used by algorithms and AI to make decisions about us in employment, education, credit, and more. Technology should never be used to discriminate.

Safeguarding biometrics: People must be able to protect their most sensitive information. When hackers steal your fingerprint, you cannot reset it like a password or replace it like a credit card.

Holding Big Tech accountable: People should have the ability to vindicate their privacy rights in court when companies break the law.


Bill Movement:

This bill originated in 2023 during the First Regular Session of the 131st Legislature. It was not passed in 2023 and was carried over into 2024 to be considered during the Second Regular Session of the 131st Legislature.

  1. Bill printed: 5/22/2023
  2. Referred to Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary: 5/23/2023
  3. Carried over from 2023 to 2024: 7/25/2023
  4. Public hearing in committee: 10/17/2023
  5. Work session and vote in committee: N/A
  6. House vote: N/A
  7. Senate vote: N/A
  8. Action by governor: N/A

Sponsors

Representative Margaret M. O'Neil

Status

Active, 2024 Priority

Session

The Second Regular Session of the 131st Legislature

Bill number

Position

Support

ACLU of Maine Policy Director Meagan Sway delivered testimony on October 17, 2023, in support of LD 1977.