US Takes Measures to Ban Sale of Citizens' Personal Data to China, North Korea, and Four Other Countries

Targeting China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela

The United States is set to implement measures banning the sale of its citizens' personal information to concern countries such as China, Russia, and North Korea.

President Joe Biden of the United States. [Image source=Yonhap News]

A senior official of the U.S. administration announced that President Joe Biden is scheduled to sign an executive order on the 28th (local time) to prevent concern countries from improperly using sensitive personal information of Americans. The senior official stated, "Our adversaries increasingly regard data as a strategic asset," adding, "Concern countries like China and Russia are purchasing sensitive personal information of Americans from data brokers."

He continued, "Concern countries are collecting information on activists, scholars, journalists, dissidents, politicians, NGO personnel, and marginalized groups to intimidate adversaries, suppress dissent, and restrict freedoms of Americans, including freedom of expression."

Sensitive personal information includes data related to genetics, biometrics, personal health, location, finance, and identity. The concern countries are six nations: China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela.

The Biden administration believes that if these countries acquire large amounts of personal information of U.S. citizens, they could track and monitor U.S. government officials and military personnel, identify vulnerabilities, and pose a security threat.

Currently, the U.S. administration prevents the acquisition of personal information through illegal means such as hacking. However, purchasing personal information from data brokers is legal.

However, the White House stated that President Biden has ordered that the executive order will not impose measures that block information transfers necessary for providing financial services or further decouple important consumer, economic, scientific, and trade relations with other countries.

The Biden administration plans to finalize the regulations after announcing detailed rules and gathering feedback from stakeholders such as companies.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.