Protecting Privacy in Our Homes Act

Protecting Privacy in Our Homes Act

This bill requires manufacturers of internet-connected devices that are not specifically marketed as cameras or microphones to disclose to consumers whether a camera or microphone is a component of such device.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2532 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2532

   To require the Federal Trade Commission to promulgate regulations 
   requiring manufacturers to give notice to consumers as to whether 
       internet-connected devices contain cameras or microphones.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 24, 2019

  Mr. Gardner introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To require the Federal Trade Commission to promulgate regulations 
   requiring manufacturers to give notice to consumers as to whether 
       internet-connected devices contain cameras or microphones.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Privacy in Our Homes 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
        Trade Commission.
            (2) Covered device.--The term ``covered device''--
                    (A) means an internet-connected device a component 
                of which is a camera or microphone; and
                    (B) does not include any device that is 
                specifically marketed as a camera or microphone.
            (3) Covered manufacturer.--The term ``covered 
        manufacturer'' means a manufacturer of a covered device.

SEC. 3. REGULATIONS.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Commission shall promulgate regulations under section 553 of title 
5, United States Code, under which each covered manufacturer shall be 
required to include on the packaging of each covered device 
manufactured by the covered manufacturer a notice that a camera or 
microphone is a component of the covered device.

SEC. 4. ENFORCEMENT.

    (a) In General.--This Act and the regulations promulgated under 
this Act shall be enforced by the Commission under the Federal Trade 
Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.).
    (b) Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices.--A violation of this Act 
or a regulation promulgated under this Act shall be treated as a 
violation of a rule defining an unfair or deceptive act or practice 
prescribed under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission 
Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)).
    (c) Actions by the Commission.--
            (1) In general.--The Commission shall prevent any person 
        from violating this Act or a regulation promulgated under this 
        Act in the same manner, by the same means, and with the same 
        jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all applicable terms 
        and provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 
        41 et seq.) were incorporated into and made a part of this Act.
            (2) Penalties and privileges.--Any person who violates this 
        Act or a regulation promulgated under this Act shall be subject 
        to the penalties and entitled to the privileges and immunities 
        provided in the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et 
        seq.).
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