"Sherman analyzed 19 different consumer privacy laws and found that while they all give consumers the right to stop data brokers from selling personal information obtained from private sources, none give "public servants the right to legally compel state agencies to redact their personal data from public records," and none prevent data brokers from selling data, including people's home addresses, when they are obtained through public sources such as property records or court filings."
"A new report published Tuesday finds that while violent threats to public servants across the US have been increasing, "comprehensive" state-level consumer privacy laws do not provide adequate protections for those civil servants, creating a "data-to-violence pipeline." The report was published by researcher Justin Sherman of the Security Project at the Public Service Alliance, a platform that provides free and discounted security services to current and former public servants."
Comprehensive state consumer privacy laws grant consumers the right to stop data brokers from selling personal information obtained from private sources but do not let public servants legally compel state agencies to redact their personal data from public records. The laws also do not prohibit data brokers from selling information obtained from public sources such as property records or court filings, including home addresses. None of the examined laws provide a private right of action to sue over violations. As a result, information about public employees remains uniquely available. Violent threats against public servants have increased, with over 1,600 threats recorded between 2015 and 2025, many targeting local officials such as school board members.
Read at WIRED
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