Archive by author:
Howard FienbergReturn
Based in Washington, DC, Howard is the Insights Association's lobbyist for the marketing research and data analytics industry, focusing primarily on consumer privacy and data security, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), tort reform, and the funding and integrity of the decennial Census and the American Community Survey (ACS).
Howard has more than two decades of public policy experience. Before the Insights Association, he worked in Congress as senior legislative staffer for then-Representatives Christopher Cox (CA-48) and Cliff Stearns (FL-06). He also served more than four years with a science policy think tank, working to improve the understanding of scientific and social research and methodology among journalists and policymakers.
Howard is also co-director of The Census Project, a 900+ member coalition in support of a fair and accurate Census and ACS.
He has also served previously on the Board of Directors for the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics and and the Association of Government Relations Professionals.
Howard has an MA International Relations from the University of Essex in England and a BA Honors Political Studies from Trent University in Canada, and has obtained the Certified Association Executive (CAE), Professional Lobbying Certificate (PLC) and the Public Policy Certificate (PPC).
When not running advocacy for the Insights Association, Howard enjoys hockey, NFL football, sci-fi and horror movies, playing with his dog, and spending time with family and friends.
Research Business Daily Report (RBDR) explored the growing controversy over the Census Bureau’s attempt to launch their own probability-based online panel to compete with the insights industry, and spoke with the Insights Association to learn more.
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The Insights Association contended that a Census Bureau plan "to develop a probability-based research panel would be duplicative, at best; numerous private sector insights companies and organizations already provide well-established high-quality probability-based panels. The Bureau’s plan is also anti-competitive, given these existing panels and the Bureau’s intent to fund an additional insights firm to build one."
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Robert Santos was sworn in as the new director of the Census Bureau on January 5, 2022, taking charge at an important time of transition.
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In response to a recent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) workshop, the Insights Association (IA) urged the agency to curtail “the use of noncompete agreements in employment contracts for all but the most senior employees, unless the employees receive compensation or severance commensurate with the time frame the employees are restricted,” but to also avoid impeding “the use of nondisclosure agreements or non-solicitation agreements.”
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A recent study conducted by Insights Association member companies Research Narrative and InnovateMR, on behalf of Privacy for America, reveals that nearly all Americans surveyed (92 percent) believe it is important for Congress to pass new legislation to protect consumers’ personal data, and a majority (62 percent) favor federal regulation over individual state regulations. Four out of five voters (81%) support a national standard that outright prohibits harmful ways of collecting, using and sh...
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State of Play, a program on Black News Channel, recently spoke with the Insights Association to learn more about the importance of the census.
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A comprehensive federal privacy law could play an important role in the national discussion of race and discrimination. As explained recently by a group which the Insights Association helped to found, Privacy for America, data privacy can play “an outsized role in protecting marginalized communities” in the U.S.
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Virginia Governor Ralph Northam (D) signed comprehensive privacy legislation, the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (CDPA), into law on March 2, 2021. The new law emulates aspects of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
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Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Zabel (D-PA-163) reintroduced the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Prohibited Gifts Act (H.B. 593), adding an amendment recommended by the Insights Association that would protect bona fide marketing research with health care professionals.
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"Businesses expose themselves and their customers to heightened risk when they share sensitive data with firms located" in the People's Republic of China, "or use equipment and software developed by firms with an ownership nexus in the PRC, as well as with firms that have PRC citizens in key leadership and security-focused roles," especially for "data service providers and data infrastructure,” according to a new business advisory from the U.S. Department of Homelan...
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