IAB welcomes Obama’s State of the Union address but warns parts of it could make US 'less competitive' in global economy
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has welcomed US president Barack Obama’s State of the Union (SOTU) address, which included plans to increase cybersecurity laws, but warned that parts of it could render the US "less competitive" in the global economy.
President Obama delivers the State of the Union Address. Photo courtesy of The White House.
His address, made yesterday (20 January), included the proposal of a single, national data breach legal standard. So far, this has been something handled individually by states, meaning there are currently 46 different sets of laws for cyber security breaches.
Mike Zaneis, the IAB’s executive vice president of Public Policy and General Counsel, said this system “does not adequately protect consumers’ identities.”
He added that the President’s ideas could increase both jobs and innovation in the advertising industry and noted similarities between points made in the SOTU and the IAB’s policies.
“These are ideals shared by the IAB, so much so that the digital marketing industry has taken a lead role in ensuring that consumers have the ability to control their privacy online, creating the first ever comprehensive digital self-regulatory program called the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA),” he said.
The DAA was endorsed by the Obama administration in 2012.
However, Zaneis said that one of Obama’s plans could “derail” the IAB’s efforts.“A push for controversial, European-style privacy restrictions, such as enactment of a Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights, would make the US less competitive in the global economy,” he said.
Not all of this was explicitly mentioned in the State of Union Address. However, it builds on the president's proposals earlier this month that called for a “single, strong national standard” in reporting data breaches.
All the president’s proposals must be approved by Congress to be enacted, but if they’re rejected, Obama has the power to override Congress’s decision.
Last September The IAB created an Anti-Malware Working Group, and formed a partnership with the FBI to help strengthen overall internet security.