On June 2, 2011, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade held a hearing examining threats posed to data security and the much publicized data breaches at Sony and Epsilon. The hearing, “Sony and Epsilon: Lessons for Data Security Legislation” focused on the recent Epsilon and Sony data breaches and the need for comprehensive federal data security and data breach notification legislation. The representatives and witnesses discussed the delays in Sony’s notification, the extent of the breaches, and the prospects for federal legislation.
The hearing is part of a comprehensive review of data security and electronic privacy initiated by the House Energy and Commerce Committee that was announced on June 1, 2011. According to the Committee press release, the first phase of the Committee’s review will focus on online data security and data theft prevention, followed later in the year by a focus on broader electronic privacy concerns.
At the hearing, Rep. Bono Mack called for a “uniform national standard” for data security and data breach notification, announcing her intent to introduce legislation. The hearing built on the growing record in Congress supporting data security and data breach notification legislation that could ultimately supersede the current patchwork of state laws. Click here to read more about the hearing.