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GAO-22-106096 1 (2022-09-13)

handle is hein.gao/gaonpe0001 and id is 1 raw text is: The Big Picture As technologies change, consumers may not always know what data businesses are collecting about them, or how those data are used and shared. Advanced, internet- connected technologies help businesses gather increasing amounts of personal data, track online behavior, and monitor consumers' locations and activities, intensifying concerns about the privacy and accuracy of consumer data. Source: NicoEINino/stock.adobe.com. Over the past decade, we have found that the increasing collection and use of personal information raises concerns related to consumer privacy and protection. Concerns also exist about adverse effects resulting from potential bias and a lack of transparency. The U.S. does not have a comprehensive privacy law governing the collection, use, and sale or other disclosure of consumers' personal data. Existing federal consumer protection laws may not apply to some newer uses of consumer data. What GAO's Work Shows 1. Consumer Scores Pose Risks Companies collect personal and transactional data to create consumer scores, which businesses and other entities-such as hospitals and universities-use to predict how consumers will behave in the future. These are separate and distinct from credit scores, which serve a different purpose. But the full range of consumer scores and their uses is unknown, creating a variety of potential risks: * Biased outcomes. Bias in consumer scores can arise from using data that reflect biases or social inequities. Inaccurate scores. Inaccurate or out-of-date data can result in inaccurate or unreliable scores. Differential treatment. When businesses use scores to maximize their aims and treat consumers differently, some consumers may be treated unfairly. No federal law expressly governs the creation, sale, and use of consumer scores, and gaps may remain in federal consumer protections. > We recommended that Congress consider ways to determine and implement appropriate consumer protections for consumer scores beyond existing federal laws, such as allowing consumers to view and correct data and to be informed of score uses and their potential effects. Key sectors where consumer scores are used Marketing Health care administration Higher education Criminal justice Source: GAO analysis. I GAO-22-106096 GAO-22-106096 Consumer Data

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