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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.

As summer approaches, the Insights Association continues to engage on state privacy legislation, new prohibitions on selling insights services to Russia, the Census Bureau’s Ask U.S. Panel, possible taxes aimed at online insights companies, and other pressing policy issues.

Maine’s Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary voted Friday to recommend the prompt repeal of the Prevent Predatory Marketing Practices against Minors Act, a law prohibiting the transfer of personal information regarding minors (under 18). The Marketing Research Association (MRA), which had filed comments with the Committee, applauded the legislators’ efforts and looks forward to working with them to craft a new, more carefully crafted law, which will not impede survey and opinion research.

The Marketing Research Association requested today that the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary in Maine exempt survey and opinion research from their data transfer prohibitions. A new Maine law, the Prevent Predatory Marketing Practices against Minors Act, aimed at protecting minors in Maine under 18 years old, prohibits any transfer of their personally identifiable information, for any purpose, regardless of any parental consent.

A new Maine law aimed at protecting minors in Maine under 18 years of age prohibits any transfer of their personally identifiable information.