14 Aug Focus on NAFTA Increases, Privacy Advocates Express Concerns
Several members of Congress’ digital trade caucus are pushing for a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), eyeing it as a potential path to achieve gains in digital trade anticipated from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) which the Trump Administration has withdrawn the US from.
TPP supporter Rep. Erik Paulsen of Minnesota believes that the precedent TPP had set should be expanded on in NAFTA. He added that small businesses should be able to use digital services to benefit their bottom lines without being bothered by “onerous regulations or outright prohibitions”.
However, privacy advocates such as Jeremy Malcolm, EFF’s senior global policy analyst, are concerned that the trade agreement may prohibit privacy protection measures, saying that data localization may result to a “splinternet” of national networks.
Source: Star Tribune
