SENATE TAKES ON TECH OVER PRIVACY

Lawmakers slammed tech industry representatives at a hearing Wednesday as Congress begins work on drafting a federal privacy law.

The Senate Commerce Committee held its first data privacy hearing this year, with lawmakers questioning the industry’s support for sweeping federal privacy standards.

Senators from both sides of the aisle noted that the country’s largest tech companies previously resisted federal legislation, but in recent years have come out in support of a federal bill. Critics say the industry backs federal standards to preempt tougher state-level rules.

“You have to convince us that your clients really want change in this area,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said, addressing the panel of witnesses. “Because the overwhelming evidence so far is that they’re willing to look the other way.”

The witnesses included Michael Beckerman, the president of the Internet Association, a trade group that represents almost 50 web companies including Amazon, Google and Facebook; and Victoria Espinel, the president of The Software Alliance, a trade group that includes software makers such as Microsoft and Apple.

The other witnesses included Northeastern University Professor Woodrow Hartzog, a privacy activist; the Retail Industry Leaders Association’s Chief Operating Officer Brian Dodge; and Jon Leibowitz, the co-chairman of the 21st Century Privacy Coalition.

“We now realize this data-sharing is not a bug,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said. “It is a business, it is a business model, and big tech has made a whole lot of money by exploiting the use of this data.

“You’ve spent a lot of money fighting this,” she added.