Alaska committee hears testimony on Consumer Data Privacy Act; business thresholds, minors and registry draw scrutiny

The Alaska House Judiciary Committee on March 20 heard opening testimony and public comment on House Bill 367, the Consumer Data Privacy Act, in a first hearing that drew expert testimony, civil-rights recommendations and industry opposition.

Sponsor Representative Andy Story said the bill would give Alaskans "meaningful control over their personal data," set standards for collection and sharing, and create accountability for violations. He cited risks to children, elders and survivors of abuse from unregulated data-broker markets and turned the committee to an invited expert from Consumer Reports.

"Many companies collect children's data not just for tracking clicks. They are shaping attention and treating a child not as someone to be nurtured, but as a data point to be measured, predicted, and manipulated," said Matt Schwartz, senior policy analyst at Consumer Reports, who outlined common elements of state privacy laws (opt-out rights, access, correction, deletion, portability), warned that enforcement has been uneven, and recommended strong protections for sensitive data and meaningful…