Led by Wyden, Democrats Call on NTIA to Reform Privacy Standards for .US Domains

WASHINGTON, September 21, 2022 – A bicameral coalition led by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., on Wednesday called on the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to end the automatic disclosure of .US web domain users’ sensitive personal information.

The all-Democrat coalition – including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.; Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii; and Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif. – laid out its concerns Wednesday in a letter to Administrator Alan Davidson of the NTIA:

“It is highly concerning that NTIA, since at least 2005, has not directed its contractors administering .US to adopt any protections for this sensitive information. The automatic public disclosure of users’ personal information puts them at enhanced risk for becoming victims of identity theft, spamming, spoofing, doxxing, online harassment, and even physical harm,” the coalition wrote.

Rejecting the NTIA’s current disclosure policy, the coalition called anonymity “a necessary component of free speech” and argued that with better privacy protections, .US domains would be more attractive to new website creators.

Besides making .US users’ information private, the letter recommends requiring users’ “affirmative, informed consent” for all third-party data transfers, strengthening barriers against law-enforcement investigations, and notifying users if a foreign government seeks access to their data. The coalition stated that instituting stronger privacy measures wouldn’t increase rates of online crime.

“A privacy- protective .US should support NTIA in these negotiations by providing a model for best practices in the broader domain name ecosystem. We urge you to continue the fight for privacy, expression, and human rights,” the letter said.