Lawmakers call for watchdog review of Transportation’s passenger privacy practices
Senators Ron Wyden and Representative Shontel Brown have asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate the Department of Transportation's handling of passenger privacy, citing the agency's apparent failure to bring any enforcement actions in that area.
Why this matters: The federal agency that oversees airlines, railroads, and other carriers has collected or overseen the collection of passenger data for years and apparently never once penalized anyone for misusing it. That is not a minor gap. It means airlines and transit companies have had no real privacy accountability from Washington. Travelers share names, payment details, travel patterns, and sometimes more — with no enforcement backstop. Congress is now asking a watchdog to find out why, which is at least a start.
Who should care: Lawyers · Privacy officers · Compliance · General readers · Policy
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