President Joe Biden recently signed an executive order that aims to protect personal data. It allows federal agencies to regulate the transfer of data to “countries of concern.” The White House says the order focuses on genomic data, biometric data, personal health data, geolocation data, financial data, and certain kinds of personally identifiable information. The data could potentially be sold to brokers or foreign agencies.
Syracuse University professors Joon Park and Filipe Augusto da Luz Lemos both research information security.
Prof. Park calls the executive order a pivotal move to enhance the protection of Americans’ sensitive data at a national security level:
Joon S. Park
“Unlike previous effort, such as the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in the European Union, which centers on individual privacy rights and consent, this order strategically addresses the large-scale transfer of Americans’ personal data to foreign countries of concerns. Therefore, I believe the effective implementation of this order is crucial for mitigating the potential threats on Americans’ privacy and data protection against international risks, thereby reinforcing national security.”
Prof. Lemos adds that the ramifications of the issue go beyond individual privacy:
Filipe Augusto da Luz Lemos
“The President’s Executive Order marks a significant step in safeguarding citizens’ data and National Security, though its scope remains narrower than Brazil’s LGPD and the EU’s GDPR. It is easy to see how personal data has become a valuable asset for corporations, facilitating targeted advertisements that often prove intrusive. However, beyond commercial concerns, the misuse of such data for criminal purposes, including fraud and password breaches, underscores the critical need for protection. Moreover, the ramifications extend beyond individual privacy; the 2018 revelation of sensitive American military bases through geolocation data from the fitness app Strava underscores the national security implications. As AI capabilities advance, other nations’ exploitation of such data for identifying classified information poses a tangible threat, underscoring the importance of this kind of data protection measures.”
To request interviews or get more information:
Chris Munoz
Media Relations Specialist
cjmunoz@syr.edu
