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States Take Up Internet Privacy As Trump Looks To Roll Back Rules

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SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – State legislatures around the country are taking up the issue of internet privacy in response to President Donald Trump and his administration's efforts to roll back current rules.

The new administration is ditching some of the privacy protections put into place under President Barack Obama. It's also handicapping the Federal Trade Commission which is one of the leading privacy regulators.

One of the states taking action is Illinois. "That state is debating geolocation bills and microphone bills, saying that if companies are going to track where we are and what we listen to, they need to tell you first and get consent," Jay Edelson with the Digital Privacy Alliance told KCBS.

Edelson said the important thing for consumers to know about internet privacy is that it's all about consent.

"The laws don't say that companies can't collect information. All they say is that they have to disclose it and get consent before collecting it," Edelson said. "And the fact that Silicon Valley is so scared to tell people what information they're collecting and what they're doing with it speaks volumes."

Edelson expects this movement will expand when it comes to the broader issue of consumer rights.

"So we're going to see more enforcement by state attorneys general and more state legislators passing really good consumer protection laws,"  he said.

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