---
title: "To Do: Reform ECPA to Ensure Privacy Rights Apply to the Cloud"
summary: |-
  Congress should reform the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) to ensure citizens have a right to privacy for electronic data whether it is stored on a device or remotely in the cloud.
date: "2012-09-05"
issues: ["Privacy", "Internet"]
content_type: "Knowledge Base Articles"
canonical_url: "https://itif.org/publications/2012/09/05/to-do-reform-ecpa-to-ensure-privacy-rights-apply-to-the-cloud/"
---

# To Do: Reform ECPA to Ensure Privacy Rights Apply to the Cloud

# Recommendation

Congress should reform the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) to ensure citizens have a right to privacy for electronic data whether it is stored on a device or remotely in the cloud.

# Details

ECPA was enacted in 1986 and has not kept pace with advancing technology. For example, there are different levels of protection afforded to the privacy of an individual’s data based on where the data is stored and how long the data has been stored. Where possible, the privacy of an individual’s communication should be the same regardless of the type of technology used to facilitate the communication.

**Keep reading:**

- Robert D. Atkinson et al., “Winning the Race 2012 Memos” (ITIF, September 2012), [https://itif.org/publications/2012/09/05/winning-race-2012-memos](https://itif.org/publications/2012/09/05/winning-race-2012-memos).

---
*Source: Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)*
*URL: https://itif.org/publications/2012/09/05/to-do-reform-ecpa-to-ensure-privacy-rights-apply-to-the-cloud/*