White House Plans Internet Privacy Watchdog

The Obama administration is stepping up efforts to increase regulation of the Internet and protect users' privacy. New laws to bring protections in line with today's technology are being drafted, along with plans to create a new position to oversee the administration's efforts, sources tell the Wall Street Journal. Insiders say the expanded role of personal information in the online economy has helped push the government into taking action, something it's typically shied away from for fear of stifling innovation.

The administration is now calling innovation and privacy "complementary goals, because consumer trust in the Internet is essential for businesses to succeed online." An upcoming Commerce Department report will set out the new strategy, though the administration may find themselves facing an uphill battle: Though Republicans support privacy, they likely won't back any bill that expands federal enforcement powers
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