Comprehensive Identity Theft Prevention Act

The Comprehensive Identity Theft Prevention Act (S. 768) proposes a multi-layered federal framework to protect consumers' personal data and combat digital fraud. The bill would establish a dedicated Office of Identity Theft within the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to enforce new regulations on "data merchants," requiring these companies to register with the government and follow strict limits on how they sell or transfer sensitive personal information.

For the average citizen, this legislation would provide greater security for Social Security numbers by prohibiting their display or sale in many commercial contexts and would mandate that companies notify individuals whenever their personal data has been compromised or shared without authorization. Additionally, the bill seeks to strengthen national infrastructure by creating a National Cybersecurity Office within the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate the defense of digital networks and develop best practices for online information security.