Laws vary by state. That’s expected. Fairbanks, Alaska, enacted a law prohibiting the provision of alcoholic beverages to moose, so don’t even think about it. In a part of Washington State, good luck trying to kill Bigfoot. (Not because Bigfoot doesn’t exist, but specifically because it’s illegal per a 1969 law.)

But what happens when state-specific regulations are used to address a topic that transcends geographic boundaries like, say, the internet? 

Where you live in the United States doesn’t have much impact on what you can access on the internet, provided you have access, but it does impact the protection and use of your privacy and data. At Ivanti, we’re serious about cybersecurity – and we think this is a problem.

Patchwork regulations hurt everyone

We’re left with a patchwork of misaligned and even contradictory state-specific policies with the absence of a comprehensive federal framework. Perhaps fifty of them.

That’s prohibitively challenging for organizations with nationwide operations and puts user privacy at significant risk. A federal standard allows our industry and consumers to clearly understand the protections they may enjoy regardless of where they live.

Ivanti connects industry-leading endpoint management, zero trust security and service management solutions for organizations worldwide, and we believe that privacy is a right for all we serve. 

We are strongly committed to protecting our customer’ personal data, and we design all our products with this goal.

The US is falling behind

We’re a global company and comply with the unique privacy regulations in each country. We can attest to the fragmented regulatory framework that results. 

It’s complex, contradictory and can be very inefficient. It’s also confusing for customers and puts US companies at a distinct disadvantage to their foreign competitors.

A strong, comprehensive federal policy enacted by the United States would provide consistency and predictability for all parties involved. 

Consumers should feel confident in trusting that their personal data is protected in a secure digital environment. Likewise, businesses should be free to innovate and compete in a stable regulatory environment.

Making our voice heard

There is an ongoing bipartisan effort to realize a federal policy, and we at Ivanti are advocates for that effort. We recently submitted a letter to Congress to voice our support and urge action. 

We’ve expressed appreciation for the congresspeople driving this effort. We have also made it clear we want to engage with them in any lawful and helpful way to advance a national policy supporting protections for individuals – maintaining a safe flow of data across borders.

Also, please don’t wrestle bears in Louisiana. That’s illegal, too. These examples of state-specific laws are a bit silly, but data privacy is serious – and affects all of us. This is a critical piece of legislation in a crucial moment and the time to act is now.