Security News > 2020 > June > New Bill Regulates COVID-19 Exposure Notification Services
Automated exposure notification services are set to be released in the coming weeks to help track the spread of the COVID-19 virus and deliver notifications to individuals who might have been exposed.
The Exposure Notification Privacy Act makes participation in these exposure notification systems voluntary, based on affirmative, express consent, and also provides consumers with increased control over their data.
The bill makes it "Unlawful to discriminate against, or otherwise make unavailable to an individual, any place of public accommodation based on data collected or processed through an automated exposure notification service."
The legislation requires public health officials to be involved in the deployment of exposure notification systems and prohibits services that are not operated by or in collaboration with a public health authority.
The bill seeks to create strong cybersecurity and breach notification safeguards, empowers federal and state authorities to pursue violators and allows the FTC to pursue civil penalties for first-time violations.