[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6377 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6377

    To require disclosures to consumers regarding the capability of 
software to monitor mobile device usage, to require the express consent 
      of the consumer prior to monitoring, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 12, 2012

Mr. Markey (for himself and Ms. DeGette) introduced the following bill; 
       which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To require disclosures to consumers regarding the capability of 
software to monitor mobile device usage, to require the express consent 
      of the consumer prior to monitoring, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Mobile Device Privacy Act''.

SEC. 2. DISCLOSURES TO CONSUMERS REGARDING MOBILE DEVICE MONITORING 
              SOFTWARE.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Federal Trade Commission shall promulgate 
regulations under section 553 of title 5, United States Code, that 
require--
            (1) a person who is in the business of selling mobile 
        devices directly to consumers (including a provider of 
        commercial mobile service or commercial mobile data service who 
        sells mobile devices in connection with contracts to provide 
        service) to disclose the information described in subsection 
        (b) to the consumer at the time of sale of a mobile device on 
        which monitoring software is installed;
            (2) a provider of commercial mobile service or commercial 
        mobile data service to disclose the information described in 
        subsection (b) to the consumer at the time of entry into a 
        contract to provide service to the consumer on a mobile 
        device--
                    (A) on which the provider installs monitoring 
                software in connection with such contract; and
                    (B) that the consumer does not purchase from the 
                provider in connection with such contract;
            (3) a manufacturer of a mobile device or of the operating 
        system software for a mobile device who installs monitoring 
        software on such device, after such device is sold to the 
        consumer, to disclose to the consumer at the time of installing 
        such software the information described in subsection (b);
            (4) a provider of commercial mobile service or commercial 
        mobile data service who installs monitoring software on a 
        mobile device, after entry into a contract to provide service 
        to the consumer on such device, to disclose to the consumer at 
        the time of installing such software the information described 
        in subsection (b); and
            (5) a person who operates a website or other online service 
        from which a consumer downloads monitoring software for 
        installation on a mobile device to disclose the information 
        described in subsection (b) to the consumer at the time of the 
        download.
    (b) Information Described.--The information described in this 
subsection is the following:
            (1) The fact that the monitoring software is installed on 
        the mobile device (or, in the case of a disclosure described in 
        subsection (a)(5), the fact that the software that the consumer 
        downloads is monitoring software).
            (2) The types of information that the monitoring software 
        is capable of collecting and transmitting.
            (3) The identity of any person to whom any information 
        collected will be transmitted and of any other person with whom 
        such information will be shared.
            (4) How such information will be used.
            (5) Procedures by which a consumer who has consented to 
        collection and transmission of information by the monitoring 
        software may exercise the opportunity to prohibit further 
        collection and transmission, as described in section 3(2).
            (6) Such additional information about the monitoring 
        software as the Federal Trade Commission considers appropriate.
    (c) Manner of Disclosure.--The regulations promulgated under 
subsection (a) shall require the following:
            (1) The disclosures shall be made in a clear and 
        conspicuous manner, to be determined by the Federal Trade 
        Commission.
            (2) The disclosures shall be displayed in a clear and 
        conspicuous manner on the website of a person required to make 
        such disclosures, except that if such person does not maintain 
        a website, such person shall file such disclosures with the 
        appropriate Commission.
    (d) Exemptions Permitted.--If the Federal Trade Commission 
determines that the use of monitoring software for a particular purpose 
is consistent with the reasonable expectations of consumers, the 
Federal Trade Commission may include in the regulations promulgated 
under subsection (a) an exemption from the disclosures required by such 
regulations with respect to monitoring software that is used only for 
such purpose (or for another purpose with respect to which the Federal 
Trade Commission has made a determination under this subsection).

SEC. 3. CONSUMER CONSENT TO MONITORING OF MOBILE DEVICE USAGE.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Federal Trade Commission shall promulgate regulations under section 
553 of title 5, United States Code, that require any person who is 
subject to the disclosure requirements of the regulations promulgated 
under section 2(a) to--
            (1) obtain the express consent of the consumer prior to the 
        time when the monitoring software first begins collecting and 
        transmitting information; and
            (2) provide a consumer who has consented to collection and 
        transmission of information by the monitoring software with the 
        opportunity at any time to prohibit further collection and 
        transmission of information by such software.

SEC. 4. INFORMATION SECURITY REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Federal Trade Commission shall promulgate 
regulations under section 553 of title 5, United States Code, that 
require any person who receives, directly or indirectly, information 
that is transmitted from monitoring software with respect to which 
disclosures are required by the regulations promulgated under section 
2(a) to establish and implement policies and procedures regarding 
information security practices for the treatment and protection of such 
information, taking into consideration--
            (1) the size of, and the nature, scope, and complexity of 
        the activities engaged in by, such person;
            (2) the current state of the art in administrative, 
        technical, and physical safeguards for protecting such 
        information; and
            (3) the cost of implementing such safeguards.
    (b) Requirements.--Such regulations shall require the policies and 
procedures to include the following:
            (1) A security policy with respect to the collection, use, 
        sale, other dissemination, and maintenance of such information.
            (2) The identification of an officer or other individual as 
        the point of contact with responsibility for the management of 
        the security of such information.
            (3) A process for identifying and assessing any reasonably 
        foreseeable vulnerabilities in any system maintained by such 
        person that contains such information, which shall include 
        regular monitoring for a breach of security of such system.
            (4) A process for taking preventive and corrective action 
        to mitigate against any vulnerabilities identified in the 
        process required by paragraph (3), which may include 
        implementing any changes to security practices and the 
        architecture, installation, or implementation of network or 
        operating software.
            (5) A process for disposing of such information by 
        shredding, permanently erasing, or otherwise modifying such 
        information to make such information permanently unreadable or 
        undecipherable.
            (6) A standard method or methods for the destruction of 
        paper documents and other non-electronic data containing such 
        information.
    (c) Disclosure of Policies and Procedures.--Such regulations shall 
require the policies and procedures to be displayed in a clear and 
conspicuous manner on the website of a person required to establish and 
implement such policies and procedures, except that if such person does 
not maintain a website, such person shall file such policies and 
procedures with the appropriate Commission.
    (d) Treatment of Entities Governed by Other Law.--A person shall be 
deemed to be in compliance with the regulations promulgated under 
subsection (a) if such person is in compliance with any other Federal 
law that requires such person to maintain policies and procedures with 
respect to information security that, taken as a whole and as the 
Federal Trade Commission shall determine in the rulemaking required by 
such subsection, provide protections substantially similar to, or 
greater than, those provided by the policies and procedures required by 
the regulations promulgated under such subsection.

SEC. 5. FILING OF CERTAIN AGREEMENTS REGARDING INFORMATION RECEIPT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Federal Trade Commission shall promulgate 
regulations under section 553 of title 5, United States Code, that 
require a copy of an agreement described in subsection (b) to be filed 
with the appropriate Commission.
    (b) Agreement Described.--An agreement described in this 
subsection--
            (1) is an agreement under which a person receives, directly 
        or indirectly, information that is transmitted from monitoring 
        software with respect to which disclosures are required by the 
        regulations promulgated under section 2(a); and
            (2) does not include an agreement between such a person and 
        the consumer on whose mobile device such monitoring software is 
        installed.

SEC. 6. ENFORCEMENT.

    (a) By Federal Trade Commission.--
            (1) Unfair or deceptive acts or practices.--A violation of 
        a regulation promulgated under section 2, 3, 4, or 5 shall be 
        treated as a violation of a regulation under section 
        18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 
        57a(a)(1)(B)) regarding unfair or deceptive acts or practices.
            (2) Powers of federal trade commission.--The Federal Trade 
        Commission shall enforce the regulations promulgated under 
        sections 2, 3, 4, and 5 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, and any person who violates such 
        regulations shall be subject to the penalties and entitled to 
        the privileges and immunities provided in the Federal Trade 
        Commission Act.
    (b) By Federal Communications Commission.--
            (1) Treatment as violation of communications act of 1934.--
        A violation of a regulation promulgated under section 2, 3, 4, 
        or 5 by a provider of commercial mobile service or commercial 
        mobile data service or a manufacturer of a mobile device shall 
        be treated as a violation of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
        U.S.C. 151 et seq.).
            (2) Powers of federal communications commission.--The 
        Federal Communications Commission shall enforce the regulations 
        promulgated under sections 2, 3, 4, and 5 with respect to 
        providers of commercial mobile service or commercial mobile 
        data service and manufacturers of mobile devices 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 Communications Act of 1934 were incorporated 
        into and made a part of this Act, and any such provider or 
        manufacturer who violates such regulations shall be subject to 
        the penalties and entitled to the privileges and immunities 
        provided in the Communications Act of 1934.
    (c) Division of Responsibilities Between FTC and FCC.--
            (1) Regulations.--In promulgating the regulations required 
        by sections 2, 3, 4, and 5, the Federal Trade Commission shall 
        consult with the Federal Communications Commission.
            (2) Enforcement.--In enforcing such regulations, the 
        Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications 
        Commission shall consult with each other.
            (3) FCC regulations on filings.--The Federal Communications 
        Commission, in consultation with the Federal Trade Commission, 
        may promulgate regulations with respect to the form and manner 
        of any filing that is required to be made with the Federal 
        Communications Commission by a regulation required by section 
        2, 4, or 5.
    (d) Actions by States.--
            (1) Civil actions.--In any case in which the attorney 
        general of a State, or an official or agency of a State, has 
        reason to believe that an interest of the residents of that 
        State has been or is threatened or adversely affected by an act 
        or practice that violates any regulation promulgated under 
        section 2, 3, 4, or 5, the State, as parens patriae, may bring 
        a civil action on behalf of the residents of the State in an 
        appropriate State court or an appropriate district court of the 
        United States to--
                    (A) enjoin that act or practice;
                    (B) enforce compliance with the regulation;
                    (C) obtain damages, restitution, or other 
                compensation on behalf of residents of the State; or
                    (D) obtain such other legal and equitable relief as 
                the court may consider to be appropriate.
            (2) Notice.--Before filing an action under this subsection, 
        the attorney general, official, or agency of the State involved 
        shall provide to the appropriate Commission a written notice of 
        that action and a copy of the complaint for that action. If the 
        attorney general, official, or agency determines that it is not 
        feasible to provide the notice described in this paragraph 
        before the filing of the action, the attorney general, 
        official, or agency shall provide written notice of the action 
        and a copy of the complaint to the appropriate Commission 
        immediately upon the filing of the action.
            (3) Authority of appropriate commission.--
                    (A) In general.--On receiving notice under 
                paragraph (2) of an action under this subsection, the 
                appropriate Commission shall have the right--
                            (i) to intervene in the action;
                            (ii) upon so intervening, to be heard on 
                        all matters arising therein; and
                            (iii) to file petitions for appeal.
                    (B) Limitation on state action while federal action 
                is pending.--If the Federal Trade Commission, the 
                Federal Communications Commission, or the Attorney 
                General of the United States has instituted a civil 
                action for violation of a regulation promulgated under 
                section 2, 3, 4, or 5 (referred to in this subparagraph 
                as the ``Federal action''), no State attorney general, 
                official, or agency may bring an action under this 
                subsection during the pendency of the Federal action 
                against any defendant named in the complaint in the 
                Federal action for any violation as alleged in that 
                complaint.
            (4) Rule of construction.--For purposes of bringing a civil 
        action under this subsection, nothing in this Act shall be 
        construed to prevent an attorney general, official, or agency 
        of a State from exercising the powers conferred on the attorney 
        general, official, or agency by the laws of that State to 
        conduct investigations, administer oaths and affirmations, or 
        compel the attendance of witnesses or the production of 
        documentary and other evidence.
    (e) Private Right of Action.--
            (1) In general.--A person injured by an act in violation of 
        a regulation promulgated under section 2, 3, 4, or 5 may bring 
        in an appropriate State court or an appropriate district court 
        of the United States--
                    (A) an action to enjoin such violation;
                    (B) an action to recover damages for actual 
                monetary loss from such violation, or to receive up to 
                $1,000 in damages for each such violation, whichever is 
                greater; or
                    (C) both such actions.
            (2) Willful or knowing violations.--If the court finds that 
        the defendant acted willfully or knowingly in committing a 
        violation described in paragraph (1), the court may, in its 
        discretion, increase the amount of the award to an amount equal 
        to not more than 3 times the amount available under paragraph 
        (1)(B).
            (3) Costs.--The court shall award to a prevailing plaintiff 
        in an action under this subsection the costs of such action and 
        reasonable attorney's fees, as determined by the court.
            (4) Limitation.--An action may be commenced under this 
        subsection not later than 2 years after the date on which the 
        person first discovered or had a reasonable opportunity to 
        discover the violation.
            (5) Nonexclusive remedy.--The remedy provided by this 
        subsection shall be in addition to any other remedies available 
        to the person, except that, in the case of a violation or 
        series of related violations by a common carrier subject to 
        title II of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 201 et 
        seq.), the person may pursue either the remedy provided by this 
        subsection or any remedies provided by such title, but not 
        both.

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate commission.--The term ``appropriate 
        Commission'' means either the Federal Trade Commission or the 
        Federal Communications Commission, or both, depending on which 
        Commission has jurisdiction under section 6 with respect to the 
        person and activity involved.
            (2) Commercial mobile data service.--The term ``commercial 
        mobile data service'' has the meaning given such term in 
        section 6001 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation 
        Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1401).
            (3) Commercial mobile service.--The term ``commercial 
        mobile service'' has the meaning given such term in section 332 
        of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 332).
            (4) Mobile device.--The term ``mobile device'' means a 
        personal electronic device that has the capability of 
        transmitting and receiving voice, video, or data communications 
        by means of commercial mobile service or commercial mobile data 
        service.
            (5) Monitoring software.--The term ``monitoring software'' 
        means software that has the capability to monitor the usage of 
        a mobile device or the location of the user and to transmit the 
        information collected to another device or system, whether or 
        not such capability is the primary function of the software or 
        the purpose for which the software is marketed.
                                 <all>