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As temperatures rose, so did the threats and opportunities for the insights industry in advocacy during May, ranging from three new comprehensive state privacy laws, advancing regulation of artificial intelligence, compliance concerns with state sales taxes, jousting over the Census Household Panel, restrictions on high-end incentives for research subjects, state legislation to ban non-competes, and a new Maryland law restricting most telephone calls for research purposes.

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.

Welcome to spring, where the insights industry has been facing challenges in regulation and legislation, including state and federal data privacy (especially the finalized rules you need to know in California), the treatment of research subjects as independent contractors, and prohibitions on non-compete agreements. We also welcomed the new scathing conclusions of a federal investigation into the Census Bureau’s attempt to compete against the insights industry, and reviewed the players on Congr...

As we begin a new year, let’s take a quick look back at the insights industry’s successes and challenges covered by the Insights Association in December 2022, including: wins and losses on taxes specifically targeting insights; wins and losses on state privacy bills; last-minute preparations for new state privacy laws; bringing transparency to the Census Bureau’s attempts to compete with our industry; and state and federal legislation impacting our ability to treat research subjects as indepe...

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 Insights Association (IA) and a dozen other data-driven industry groups called upon Congress to “pass a national privacy law that protects all Americans,” and urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to “halt its current rulemaking” on “so-called ‘commercial surveillance’ and ‘lax security practices.’”

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.

​​​​​​​The President just signed an executive order on government surveillance that should pave the way to an operable trans-Atlantic data transfer deal with the European Union (EU) by spring 2023.

Four Democrats in the U.S. House and Senate urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to step up “efforts to implement strong privacy safeguards that effectivity protect children and teens online, including fulfilling your obligation to update regulations under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).”