H.R. 4659 · 117th Congress
BROWSER Act of 2021
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 117th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
R
McClainSponsor5 cosponsors · 5 R
5 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
Balancing the Rights Of Web Surfers Equally and Responsibly Act of 2021 or the BROWSER Act of 2021
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Jul 22, 2021
Balancing the Rights Of Web Surfers Equally and Responsibly Act of 2021 or the BROWSER Act of 2021
This bill establishes information privacy protections that require broadband internet access services and certain websites or mobile applications to provide users with the ability to opt-in or opt-out of the using, disclosing, or accessing of their user information depending on the sensitivity of the information.
Covered service providers must provide opt-in approval through express user consent to use sensitive information such as financial data, health information, browsing history, or other specified personally identifiable information. Such service providers must obtain opt-out approval for the use of non-sensitive user information by a user failing to object to such use after being provided notice of the provider's privacy policies. Service providers also must allow users to opt-in or opt-out of such approval at any time.
The bill permits service providers to use and disclose user information without approval for specified purposes, including for services necessary for provision of the service and to initiate, render, bill, and collect for the service.
The bill further prohibits providers from conditioning access to service on users' agreeing to waive their privacy rights.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: BROWSER Act of 2021
Also known as: Balancing the Rights Of Web Surfers Equally and Responsibly Act of 2021
Latest action (Jul 23, 2021): Referred to the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.
Policy area: Commerce · Origin: House · Introduced: Jul 22, 2021
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.