Driving Change: Advocating for Tech and Privacy Regulations with Congress for a Safe and Free Online World
These issues affect everyone, regardless of political affiliation, and we need to make our voices heard.
The internet has become an essential part of our lives, enabling us to communicate, work, learn, shop, and entertain ourselves. However, the internet also poses significant challenges and risks, such as cyberattacks, identity theft, data breaches, and censorship. That is why we need regulations that protect our rights, privacy, and access to information.
Below are topics that I believe are crucial for the future of the internet and our democracy: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Mandate for Banks and Codification of Net Neutrality, Reclassification of Internet Providers as Utilities, Data Privacy Regulations, and Penalties for Data Breaches.
These topics are non-partisan and why you should write to your congressional representatives to urge them to support these regulations.
As a quick notation – finding your representatives and contacting them is easy. Simply visit congress.gov’s Find Your Members and type your ZIP code!
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Mandate for Banks
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a security method that requires users to provide two or more forms of verification to access their accounts or perform transactions. For example, you may need to enter a password and a code sent to your phone, or use a fingerprint and a facial scan. MFA makes it much harder for hackers and fraudsters to steal your credentials or impersonate you, as they would need to compromise multiple factors instead of just one.
MFA is especially important for banking and financial services, as they deal with sensitive and valuable information that can have serious consequences if compromised. According to a report by Javelin Strategy & Research, identity fraud cost Americans $20 billion in 2022, with 15.3 million consumers affected. Takeover fraud (where an attacker obtains access to a customer’s account), is the exact kind of fraud that MFA mandates could help resolve.
However, not all banks support MFA, or they only offer it as an optional feature. This means that many customers are still vulnerable to cyberattacks and identity theft. That is why I strongly advocate for the implementation of regulations requiring banks to support MFA for all transactions and account logins. This would not only protect consumers, but also reduce the costs and liabilities for banks and the economy. MFA is a proven and effective security measure that can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access and fraudulent activity.
This is not a partisan issue, but a matter of common sense and public safety. Everyone deserves to have their financial information secure and their identity protected. MFA is a simple and affordable way to achieve that. I urge you to write to your congress members and ask them to support a MFA mandate for banks. You can use this template to craft your message:
Letter Template
Dear [Name of Congress Member],
I am writing to you as a concerned citizen and a constituent of your district/state. I am writing to urge you to support a regulation that would require banks to support Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for all transactions and account logins.
MFA is a security method that requires users to provide two or more forms of verification to access their accounts or perform transactions. For example, a password and a code sent to a phone, or a fingerprint and a facial scan. MFA makes it much harder for hackers and fraudsters to steal credentials or impersonate users, as they would need to compromise multiple factors instead of just one.
MFA is especially important for banking and financial services, as they deal with sensitive and valuable information that can have serious consequences if compromised. According to a report by Javelin Strategy & Research, identity fraud cost Americans $56 billion in 2020, with 13 million consumers affected. The report also found that account takeover fraud, where criminals gain access to existing accounts, increased by 72% in 2020, with losses totaling $13 billion. MFA can help prevent these types of fraud by adding an extra layer of security to accounts.
However, not all banks support MFA, or they only offer it as an optional feature. This means that many customers are still vulnerable to cyberattacks and identity theft. That is why I strongly advocate for the implementation of regulations requiring banks to support MFA for all transactions and account logins. This would not only protect consumers, but also reduce the costs and liabilities for banks and the economy. MFA is a proven and effective security measure that can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access and fraudulent activity.
This is not a partisan issue, but a matter of common sense and public safety. Everyone deserves to have their financial information secure and their identity protected. MFA is a simple and affordable way to achieve that. I urge you to support a MFA mandate for banks and to work with your colleagues to pass this regulation as soon as possible.
Net Neutrality
There’s been a lot of disinformation published by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) about net neutrality. Net neutrality is the principle that internet service providers (ISPs) should treat all data on the internet equally, regardless of its source, content, or destination. This means that ISPs cannot block, throttle, or charge extra fees for certain websites, applications, or services. Net neutrality ensures that everyone has fair and equal access to the information and opportunities that the internet offers.
However, net neutrality is under attack by powerful corporate interests that want to control how we use the internet. In 2017, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) repealed the net neutrality rules that were established in 2015, opening the door for ISPs to manipulate and exploit internet traffic. Without net neutrality, ISPs can create fast lanes and slow lanes, favoring their own content or partners over competitors, stifling innovation and competition, and harming consumers and small businesses. ISPs can also censor or block content that they don’t like or agree with, undermining free speech and democracy.
That is why we need Congress to act and pass legislation that codifies net neutrality into law, restoring the protections that were lost under the FCC’s repeal. A net neutrality law would prevent ISPs from interfering with internet traffic and uphold the principles of a free and open internet. Alternatively, reclassifying ISPs as utilities would subject them to stricter regulations, similar to those that apply to phone, water, and electricity companies. This would ensure that ISPs provide reliable and affordable service to all customers, without discrimination or manipulation.
Net neutrality is not a partisan issue, but a matter of common sense and public interest. Millions of Americans across the political spectrum support net neutrality and have voiced their opposition to the FCC’s repeal. We cannot let a few corporations dictate how we access and use the internet, which is a vital resource for education, communication, entertainment, and economic growth. We need to protect net neutrality and preserve the internet as a platform for innovation, diversity, and democracy.
Please join me in supporting net neutrality and write to your representatives today. Tell them to support legislation that codifies net neutrality into law, or reclassify ISPs as utilities. Together, we can save the internet and make it work for everyone.
Data Privacy & Data Breach Penalties
The penalties for data breaches and consumer data privacy are two of the most pressing issues facing the technological aspect of society today. As consumers, we entrust our personal information to various entities, such as online platforms, service providers, and data brokers, with the expectation that they will respect our privacy and protect our data. However, this expectation is often violated, as we witness countless cases of data collection, sharing, and misuse without our knowledge or consent, as well as data breaches that expose our sensitive information to hackers and criminals. These practices not only infringe on our fundamental rights, but also expose us to serious risks of identity theft, financial fraud, and other harms.
Unfortunately, the current legal framework in the United States is inadequate to address these challenges. Existing data privacy laws are fragmented, inconsistent, and outdated, leaving many gaps and loopholes for data collectors and users to exploit. Data breach penalties are also insufficient, as they often fail to reflect the true magnitude and impact of the breaches, and do not provide enough deterrence or incentive for companies to improve their data security practices. Moreover, the lack of federal legislation creates a patchwork of state laws that vary in scope and strength, creating confusion and uncertainty for both consumers and businesses.
That is why we need bipartisan action on data privacy and data breach penalties at the federal level. We need comprehensive and uniform legislation that establishes clear and enforceable standards for data collection, use, and protection, and that empowers consumers with greater control and choice over their personal data. We also need legislation that imposes harsher and more meaningful penalties for data breaches, including substantial fines and other punitive measures, to hold companies accountable for their negligence and to encourage them to invest in data security. Such legislation would not only enhance our privacy and security, but also foster trust and confidence in the digital economy, and promote innovation and competitiveness.
But we cannot achieve this without your help. We need you to make your voice heard and to demand action from your representatives. Data privacy and data breach penalties are not partisan issues, they are issues that affect all of us, regardless of our political affiliation. We need to urge our lawmakers to put aside their differences and work together to pass legislation that protects our digital rights and interests. We need to show them that we care about these issues and that we will not tolerate inaction or complacency.
Data privacy and data breach penalties are not only important, but urgent issues that require our attention and action. We cannot afford to wait any longer or to let our rights and interests be compromised by the status quo. We need to act now and to demand action from our representatives. Together, we can make a difference and secure our digital future.