Tech Lobbyists Don’t Want States to Let You Sue Over Privacy Violations

Virginia’s industry-friendly bill held up as model by company representatives.

Photographer: Jason Alden/Bloomberg
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As soon as Kentucky’s legislative session opened this year, state Senator Whitney Westerfield re-introduced a data privacy bill to give consumers more control over personal information online.

He knew what would come next. Last year, when he introduced similar legislation, industry lobbyists swooped in with an alternative bill based on a business-friendly law enacted by Virginia. It didn’t advance in Kentucky but managed to sow doubt about his proposal, which foundered.