Articles

The insights industry faced challenges on multiple advocacy fronts in April, such as: growing risks from the boom in generative AI; new privacy laws and regulations; an FTC proposal to eliminate noncompete agreements; a new attempt at insourcing insights work by the Census Bureau; and a proposed new tax on data in Nevada.

Even as regulations implementing the new California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) were being finalized, the insights industry had to raise concerns about a new round of rules regarding cybersecurity audits, risk assessments and automated decision-making.

Privacy legislation and regulation kicked into gear during February at the state and federal level. The feds are proposing to prohibit all non-compete agreements, and changes are on the table for Kentucky’s new tax on insights services. That is just a taste of what’s been happening this past month in advocacy impacting the insights industry.

With American Thanksgiving now in the rearview mirror, let’s look back at the biggest challenges the insights industry tangled with this month, including new privacy rules in California and at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC); some wins, losses and new laws in California; and new federal labor rules that could treat research subjects receiving incentives as if they are employees of research companies.

The leading trade association for the insights industry shared in its final thoughts with California’s regulator on rules implementing the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), particularly noting that it does not believe that the drafters of the law intended to restrict audience measurement and expressing concerns about the quick turnaround between the rules' completion and their enforcement.

Consumer data privacy and security concerns, including progress towards a new trans-Atlantic data deal, a new law in California and proposed rules in California and at the FTC, were top of mind for the insights industry in October. In addition, concerns about draft U.S. Department of Labor regulations impacting research subjects’ status as independent contractors, and miscellaneous other new laws, remain salient.

Temperatures may be cooling as the calendar turns to autumn, but legislative issues are heating up as lawmakers get back to work following summer breaks. Here are some of the key issues we're engaged with at the national and state level on your behalf...

The Insights Association has worked throughout July and August to improve a comprehensive federal privacy bill that passed out of committee in the U.S. House, counter a harmful bill in Delaware, and urge changes to California’s pending state privacy regulations. Also, IA’s campaign for transparency in the Census Bureau’s Ask U.S. Panel project, which would compete against the insights industry, has spurred Congressional action.

The Insights Association today urged the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) to limit the negative impact of California’s privacy rules on the insights industry.

To our pleasant surprise, Congress has actually been cutting compromises on federal privacy legislation, as the Insights Association has been seeking, so that has been a big focus this month, along with other privacy and data security concerns. Also on this month’s docket have been rules to treat a research subject as an independent contractor, the use of employee non-compete agreements, funding for the U.S. Census, and the regulation of alcohol market research.