ECPA Finally Moves to Markup in the House
Today, the House Judiciary Committee Chairman announced that the Committee plans to markup the Email Privacy Act (H.R. 699), which would reform the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA). The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) has long advocated for reform of the outdated legislation and welcomes the action.
“The support for reform to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act is astonishing, with more than 300 House cosponsors. Advancement of the Email Privacy Act to markup is a welcome development in the fight to protect the privacy of Americans’ emails. Given the overwhelming support we hope the bill will pass cleanly out of committee and quickly through the House,” said Chris Calabrese, CDT Vice President of Policy.
Beyond support in Congress, there is also considerable support from a broader community of advocates, businesses, and individuals. ECPA, which was passed in 1986, was developed long before the mainstream Internet was in place. Updating the legislation would bring the same level of privacy protections to digital communications that more traditional forms of communication receive.
There is more information about ECPA reform efforts on CDT’s website and on the website of the Digital 4th Coalition.
