Privacy law in Pennsylvania

There is no signed, comprehensive consumer privacy law in Pennsylvania yet. HB 78, the Consumer Data Privacy Act (CDPA), passed the House as an amended bill and would give Pennsylvania residents rights to access, delete, correct, and opt out of the sale of their personal data — but as of the extraction date it has not been signed into law. In the meantime, Pennsylvania residents are protected by a state breach-notification law and federal privacy laws covering health, financial, and children's data. Optery can still help you remove your personal information from data brokers regardless of state-law coverage.

What protections do exist in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Breach of Personal Information Notification Act

Requires businesses and government agencies to notify Pennsylvania residents when their unencrypted personal information is compromised in a data breach. Notification must be made in the most expedient time possible and without unreasonable delay. (73 Pa. Stat. §§ 2301–2329)

Pennsylvania wiretapping and electronic surveillance law

Pennsylvania is an 'all-party consent' state for recording communications, meaning all parties to a phone call or in-person conversation must consent to being recorded. Violations can result in criminal charges and civil liability. (18 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 5701–5782)

Federal protections that apply to Pennsylvania residents

Even without a state comprehensive privacy law, several federal laws protect you. The FTC Act (Section 5) prohibits unfair or deceptive practices involving your personal data. HIPAA protects your medical records. COPPA limits data collection on children under 13. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act requires financial institutions to explain how they share your financial information and gives you some opt-out rights.

What’s happening in the Pennsylvania legislature

Several privacy bills have been introduced in Pennsylvania. None has passed into law yet, but they signal where consumer privacy legislation in the state may be heading.

HB 78 — Consumer Data Privacy Act

HB 78 would establish comprehensive consumer data privacy rights for Pennsylvania residents, including rights to access, correct, delete, and obtain a portable copy of personal data, as well as the right to opt out of targeted advertising, data sales, and certain automated profiling. The bill would apply to for-profit businesses with more than $10 million in annual gross revenues, those processing data of at least 50,000 consumers, or those deriving 50% or more of revenue from selling personal data. The Attorney General would have exclusive enforcement authority with civil penalties. Status: passed chamber. Read the bill text.

How Optery helps Pennsylvania residents

Data brokers collect and sell personal information about almost every American adult — home addresses, phone numbers, family relationships, employment history. They do this regardless of whether your state has a comprehensive privacy law. Optery scans over 200 data brokers to find where your information is exposed, then submits removal requests on your behalf and tracks compliance. Our service works for every US resident, not just those in states with strong privacy statutes.

See which data brokers have your information →