Professor Faye Jones, an expert in privacy and security law, was quoted in a recent New York Times opinion piece on how the strength of privacy laws in Illinois could have nationwide ramifications. 

The Biometric Information Privacy Act of Illinois sets strict limits on the collection and distribution of personal biometric data, like fingerprints and iris and face scans. The Illinois law is considered among the nation’s strongest, because it limits how much data is collected, requires consumers’ consent and empowers them to sue the companies directly. That last provision has led to hundreds of lawsuits being filed against companies, including tech giants such as Snapchat, Google, and Meta (Facebook's parent company). Google and Meta have already agreed to settlements. 

“People don’t realize how much they’re just giving away to these companies,” Jones said in an interview. “It’s not that difficult for companies to comply with Illinois’s rules.”

Read the full piece at nytimes.com.