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Social Security On-Line Privacy Protection Act of 1996
To regulate the use by interactive computer services of Social Security account numbers and related personally identifiable information.
Summary
The Social Security On-Line Privacy Protection Act prohibits interactive computer services and online networks from disclosing individuals' Social Security account numbers or personally identifiable information linked to their Social Security numbers to third parties without prior informed written consent. The bill allows individuals to revoke their consent at any time, requiring the service to stop sharing their information upon revocation. The Federal Trade Commission is granted authority to examine, investigate, and enforce compliance with the bill's requirements through cease and desist orders. Services that knowingly violate the prohibition are subject to civil penalties under the Federal Trade Commission Act. Informed written consent is defined as a written, freely signed statement describing the types of information to be disclosed and the individual's rights.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Rep. Franks, Bob [R-NJ-7] (R-NJ)
3 cosponsors
- Rep. Bilbray, Brian P. [R-CA-49] (R-CA)
- Rep. Herger, Wally [R-CA-2] (R-CA)
- Rep. Meyers, Jan [R-KS-3] (R-KS)
Actions (5)
- Oct 11, 1996 Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance. · house
- Oct 11, 1996 Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Hazardous Materials. · house
- Sep 30, 1996 Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1842)
- Sep 28, 1996 Referred to the House Committee on Commerce. · house
- Sep 28, 1996 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 28, 1996
Mr. Franks of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. Herger, Mr. Bilbray, and Mrs. Meyers) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce
A BILL
To regulate the use by interactive computer services of Social Security account numbers and related personally identifiable information.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Social Security On-line Privacy Protection Act of 1996”.
SEC. 2. REGULATION OF USE BY AN INTERACTIVE COMPUTER SERVICE OF SOCIAL SECURITY ACCOUNT NUMBERS AND RELATED PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION.
(a) Disclosure of Social Security Account Number or Related Personally Identifiable Information Without Consent Prohibited.—An interactive computer service shall not, by means of a reference service or otherwise, disclose to a third party—
(1) an individual’s Social Security account number, or
(2) personally identifiable information which is indentifiable to an individual by means of the individual’s Social Security account number, without the individual’s prior informed written consent.
(b) Revocation of Consent.—Such service shall permit an individual to revoke any consent granted pursuant to paragraph (1) at any time, and upon such revocation, such service shall cease disclosing such number or information to a third party.
SEC. 3. ENFORCEMENT AND RELIEF.
(a) Federal Trade Commission.—The Federal Trade Commission shall have the authority to examine and investigate an interactive computer service to determine whether such service has been or is engaged in any act or practice prohibited by this Act.
(b) Enforcement.—If the Federal Trade Commission determines an interactive computer service has been or is engaged in any act or practice prohibited by this Act, the Commission may issue a cease and desist order as if such service were in violation of section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act and shall be subject to liability for violations of such order as provided in such section 5. Any such service which engages in an act or practice prohibited by this Act with actual knowledge, or knowledge fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances, that such act or practice is so prohibited shall also be liable for civil penalties under section 5(m)(1) of such Act as if such service were in violation of such section 5.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Act—
(1) Interactive computer service.—The term “interactive computer service” means any information service that provides computer access to multiple users via modem or other means of telecommunication to the Internet or any other on-line network.
(2) Internet.—The term “Internet” means the international computer network of both Federal and non-Federal interoperable packet switched data networks.
(3) Social security account number.—The term “Social Security account number” of an individual means the number assigned to such individual under section 205(c)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act (and any derivative of such number).
(4) Personally identifiable information.—The term “personally identifiable information” has the meaning given such term in section 631 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 551).
(5) Informed written consent.—The term “informed written consent” of an individual means a statement—
(A) in writing and freely signed by the individual;
(B) consenting to the disclosures such service will make of the information provided; and
(C) describing the rights of the individual under this Act.
(6) Third party.—The term “third party” means, with respect to the disclosure thereto of an individual’s Social Security account number or any personally identifiable information in connection with such individual, a person or other entity other than—
(A) such service;
(B) an employee of such service; or
(C) the individual. <all>
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