PORTLAND (WGME) — Business leaders gathered in Portland Tuesday to speak out against a data privacy bill in Augusta.
If passed, the bill would protect Mainers’ online data from being bought and sold to bigger companies like Meta and Google by establishing strict standards for data collection and giving consumers the right to legal action.
But some business leaders say there could be a big downside: blocking businesses from reaching potential customers.
“It’s been stated that the legislation before us does not end targeted advertising. No, it evaporates the data targeted advertising relies upon,” Maine State Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Patrick Woodcock said.
The data privacy bill passed both the House and the Senate last week, although the vote was very close in the Senate.
It now faces additional votes before possibly going to the governor’s desk.
