Although we focus on criminal and administrative law, we at LauraLaw like to keep up with all types of news that might affect our clients. This week’s news affects everyone who uses the internet . . . so virtually everyone.

Do you ever get phone calls from random third parties, trying to sell something? I do, and I always wonder how these companies get my information, and if it is even legal for them to do so.

Last week, the Illinois state Senate approved the Right to Know Act. This act requires online companies to tell their consumers what kind of data they have gathered and shared with third parties. The Act includes companies like Amazon, Google, and Facebook. Senator Michael Hastings, who sponsored the bill, called it a “step forward for Illinois in terms of data privacy.”

Not only would companies be required to tell their consumers this information, they have to keep an email address or toll-free phone number available for consumers to request it.

Opponents of the bill think that it should be up to the federal government to make this kind of regulation, and say that this law would place a burden on Illinois business. However, about a dozen other states have or are creating similar laws to protect consumers.

This Act seems like a good idea, but how much is it really doing for Illinois consumers? Sure, we get to demand to know what information is being shared with third parties, but it does not actually stop large companies like Google and Amazon from sharing personal information. It will be interesting to see if this is a step toward true consumer data protection or simply a band-aid on an ever-present problem. Check back in with LauraLaw to find out!