Biden Administration Issues Order to Check Citizen Data Transfers to High-Risk Nations

U.S. President Joe Biden has issued an executive order to protect the personal data of American citizens. The step aims to safeguard personal information such as genomic, biometric, personal health, geolocation, and financial data, along with certain kinds of personally identifiable information (PII).

The executive order authorizes the Attorney General to prevent the large-scale transfer of U.S. citizens’ personal data to countries of concern and provides safeguards around other activities that can give those countries access to sensitive information.

The Biden administration is concerned that countries of concern like Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela, may gain access to sensitive personal data of Americans.

This could be used to gather information on various groups including activists, academics, journalists, dissidents, political figures, and members of non-governmental organizations and marginalized communities.

Such access could potentially be used to intimidate opponents, suppress dissent, and restrict Americans' freedom of expression and other civil liberties.

President Biden will ask the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to issue rules safeguarding Americans' sensitive data from access by the mentioned countries and prevent large-scale data transfer to these countries, known for collecting and misusing data.

Moreover, among other things, the DOJ and Homeland Security will work together to set high security standards to prevent access to citizen data through other commercial means, such as data available via investment, vendor, and employment relationships.

“Companies are collecting more of Americans’ data than ever before, and it is often legally sold and resold through data brokers. Commercial data brokers and other companies can sell this data to countries of concern, or entities controlled by those countries, and it can land in the hands of foreign intelligence services, militaries, or companies controlled by foreign governments,” the White House said.

Jack Berkowitz, Chief Data Officer at Securiti AI, endorses the Order, foreseeing its long-term benefits. Regarding its implications for organizations, Jack also believes that:

1. Understanding data flows is a significant challenge. Companies face a considerable challenge in comprehending the flow of both structured and unstructured data, necessitating a thorough understanding of data origin and destination.

2. Prioritizing data protection measures is crucial. Given the extensive usage of personal data, such as selling to credit agencies and advertisers, there are significant security implications, emphasizing the urgent need for companies to prioritize data protection measures.

3. Corporate compliance is imperative. The Executive Order mandates heightened corporate responsibility and compliance, particularly for industries linked to federal agencies. Non-compliance could result in legal repercussions, urging Chief Data Officers to promptly initiate planning and mapping of data flows.