In recent years, Illinois has become a battleground for the fight against big tech From new laws regulating data collection to antitrust investigations, the state is taking a stand against the tech giants. In this blog, we’ll take a look at some of the ways Illinois is fighting back against big tech.
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Introduction
The state of Illinois is taking on big tech companies like Google and Facebook with a new set of laws that would give consumers more control over their data.
The Illinois legislature is considering two bills that would establish the right of Illinois residents to know what personal data is being collected about them, to have that data deleted, and to opt out of having it sold.
The first bill, the Internet Privacy Act, would require companies to get affirmative consent from consumers before collecting, using, or sharing their data. The second bill, the Data Protection Act, would give consumers the right to know what personal data is being collected about them, to have that data deleted, and to opt out of having it sold.
Both bills are supported by a coalition of consumer privacy groups, including the ACLU of Illinois and the Electronic Frontier Foundation. The coalition is urging the legislature to pass both bills into law.
The fight for consumer privacy is heating up as more and more revelations come to light about how big tech companies are collecting and using our data. In recent months, we’ve learned that Google was tracking our location even when we thought we had turned off location services, that Facebook was leaking our private messages to advertisers, and that Amazon was listening in on our conversations with its Alexa voice assistant.
These revelations have sparked a public outcry for stronger privacy protections. And now Illinois is leading the charge with these two groundbreaking bills.
The Problem
The problem is that big tech companies have become too powerful and their monopolies are stifling innovation. They are also using their power to manipulate the marketplace and silence competition.
The Solution
In order to protect consumers from the power of big tech, Illinois has proposed a bill that would give the state’s attorney general more authority to investigate and prosecute companies like Google and Facebook. The bill, which was introduced by Democratic state senator Julie Morrison, would create a new position within the attorney general’s office: a “tech enforcement officer.”
This officer would be responsible for leading investigations into tech companies suspected of violating Illinois law, and they would have the power to issue subpoenas and bring cases before a judge. The bill would also give the attorney general’s office more resources to pursue these cases, including funding for new staff positions and additional funding for existing staff members.
Supporters of the bill say that it’s necessary in order to hold big tech companies accountable for their actions. “Illinois has been ground zero for some of the worst excesses of the tech industry ” said Scott Turow, president of the Illinois State Bar Association. “This bill will help ensure that our state can effectively police abusive practices by these massive companies.”
Opponents of the bill say that it would give the state too much power to regulate the internet. “This bill is a solution in search of a problem,” said Ed Whelan, president of the conservative Ethics and Public Policy Center. “There is no evidence that Google or Facebook are engaged in any illegal activity in Illinois. This is an attempt to micromanage online speech through regulatory fiat.”
The bill is currently being considered by Illinois lawmakers.
The Future
The internet has become an inescapable part of modern life, and with it, the tech giants that power it. But as their grip on the global economy tightens, many are wondering if we’ve reached peak Big Tech. And Illinois is leading the charge to take them on.
In May, the state passed a sweeping new law that would make it illegal for companies like Google and Amazon to use data from their customers to compete against them. It’s the first law of its kind in the united states and it could set a precedent for other states to follow suit.
The Illinois law is just one way that the state is fighting back against the tech giants. Last year, the state passed a law that requires online retailers to pay a sales tax, which will level the playing field for brick-and-mortar businesses. And in March, Chicago was chosen as the site of Amazon’s new headquarters, beating out cities like New York and Boston.
There’s no doubt that Big Tech has had a big impact on Illinois, but it’s clear that the state is fighting back.
