9f887003333b23943171fb9099baba53

SIIA Cautions that the CPRA Will Be Detrimental to Education Technology

by Press

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
SIIA CONTACT: Michelle Harris, 202.789.4450

SIIA Cautions that the CPRA Will Be Detrimental to Education Tech

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 29, 2020) – The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), the principal association for the software, information, and digital content industries, cautions that California’s certification of the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) to appear on the November ballot will disrupt education technology and school and distance learning.

SIIA President, Jess Joseph, issued the following statement:

“While we are heartened that the CPRA clarifies and improves some aspects of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), most notably by fixing the CCPA’s First Amendment infirmities with respect to publicly available information, it makes the wrong policy calls in a number of areas and leaves little room for the legislature to fix these flaws.

“As drafted, the CPRA can be interpreted to present educational technology companies with an impossible choice: comply with the CPRA, and remove data from school records on student request and breach their contract with the school, thereby jeopardizing the school’s federal funding, or refuse and face liability for breaching the CPRA.

“This is the wrong balance and detrimental to both classroom and distance learning, which the California Attorney General recognized when he fixed the same policy error in the CCPA regulations.

“SIIA supports robust and comprehensive privacy regulation, but like all regulations it must reflect balance against competing values, from constitutional norms to the realities of business and educational operations. The policy misjudgments inherent in the CPRA underscore the need for Congress to act and pass a thoughtful national and comprehensive data privacy standard that sets the rules of the road, for industry and consumers alike.”

About SIIA:
SIIA is an umbrella association that represents constituencies from technology, data and media companies. Through in-person and online business development opportunities, peer networking, corporate education, intellectual property protection and government relations, SIIA provides a network of resources for its 800+ member companies that drive innovation and growth. For more information, visit www.siia.net.

Pictured left to right: Rihanna Collier, Vice President & Managing Director, SIIA Software & Services Division and Technology Council of Southern California; Stephen Wray, CloudMine CEO; and Joe Talley, SIIA Board Member and Deloitte & Touche LLP Audit Partner (PRNewsfoto/CloudMine)

SIIA Welcomes Entry-into-Force of United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA)

by Press

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

SIIA CONTACT: Michelle Harris, 202.789.4450 

SIIA Welcomes Entry-into-Force of United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 1, 2020) – The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), the principal association for the software, information, and digital content industries, welcomes the entry-into-force of USMCA.

Senior Vice President for Global Public Policy, Carl Schonander, issued the following statement:

“SIIA has been an active participant in the development of USMCA.  The agreement’s digital trade, financial services and intellectual property chapters are particularly innovative.  The fact that the agreement contains binding data flow obligations with respect to financial data is especially praiseworthy.  We congratulate Ambassador Lighthizer and his team.  The USMCA provides an excellent template for additional progress as the United States conducts negotiations with the UK and the EU.”About SIIA:
SIIA is an umbrella association that represents constituencies from technology, data and media companies. Through in-person and online business development opportunities, peer networking, corporate education, intellectual property protection and government relations, SIIA provides a network of resources for its 800+ member companies that drive innovation and growth. For more information, visit www.siia.net

qssa-1000x563

SIIA Urges Administration to Reconsider Student Visa Restrictions

by Press

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
SIIA CONTACT: Michelle Harris, 202.789.4450 

SIIA Urges Administration to Reconsider Student Visa Restrictions

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 8, 2020) – The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), the principal association for the software, information, and digital content industries, opposes the restrictions on foreign students remaining in the United States if their universities adopt distance learning solutions.

SIIA President and CEO, Jeff Joseph, issued the following statement:

“America’s colleges and universities attract the best and brightest students domestically and from around the world. The announcement that some students will need to return to their home countries if their coursework is entirely online is misguided. International students enrich our nation by offering diverse ideas and perspectives to their college communities while contributing an estimated $45 billion to the U.S. economy and 460,000 jobs.  Many U.S.-educated foreign students stay in America upon graduation, contributing to our economy and enhancing our competitiveness.  Some go on to work for U.S. companies in fields that are already struggling to fill open positions. If we send these students home they may never return to the U.S., particularly given our restrictive immigration laws. Moreover, this directive will discourage foreign students from attending American universities, allowing other nations to develop and utilize these bright young minds. We urge the Administration to reconsider this decision.”

About SIIA:
SIIA is an umbrella association that represents constituencies from technology, data and media companies. Through in-person and online business development opportunities, peer networking, corporate education, intellectual property protection and government relations, SIIA provides a network of resources for its 800+ member companies that drive innovation and growth. For more information, visit www.siia.net.

kljl

European Court of Justice Decision Jeopardizes Critical Data Flows

by Press

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
SIIA CONTACT: Michelle Harris, 202.789.4450 
 European Court of Justice Decision to Invalidate the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Jeopardizes Critical Data Flows

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 16, 2020) – SIIA, the principal association for the software, information, and digital content industries, expressed strong concerns regarding the European Court of Justice ruling invalidating the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield, thereby disrupting transatlantic data flows.

SIIA President and CEO, Jeff Joseph, issued the following statement:

“We are disappointed in and extremely concerned about the decision by the European Court of Justice to invalidate the Privacy Shield, which serves as a strong and important transatlantic facilitator of transborder data flows relied on by more than 5,000 EU. and U.S. companies. The decision brings significant data flows to a halt less than nine months after the third annual review found that the Privacy Shield works to protect the data of EU subjects.

“Though many headlines on this case focus on its impact on social media, the reverberations are much more profound and widespread. Thousands of companies of all sizes rely on Privacy Shield across a wide range of industries.  They opened their business this morning to find their transfer mechanism for critical data flows possibly shut off. 

“The flow of data between the U.S. and E.U. is essential to businesses of all sizes and an incredibly diverse array of beneficial services. We urge E.U. and U.S. officials to meet immediately to find a path forward.”

About SIIA:
SIIA is an umbrella association that represents constituencies from technology, data and media companies. Through in-person and online business development opportunities, peer networking, corporate education, intellectual property protection and government relations, SIIA provides a network of resources for its 800+ member companies that drive innovation and growth. For more information, visit www.siia.net.

as-1000x563

SIIA Statement on Talks to Explore an Enhanced EU-US Privacy Shield Framework

by Press

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
SIIA CONTACT: Michelle Harris, 202.789.4450 

SIIA Statement on Talks to Explore an Enhanced EU-US Privacy Shield Framework

WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 10, 2020) – SIIA, the principal trade association for the software, information and digital content industries, welcomes the joint statement from U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders that talks have initiated to explore an enhanced EU-US Privacy Shield Framework.

SIIA President and CEO, Jeff Joseph, issued the following statement:
“In the wake of the Schrems II ruling, we urged European and American officials to find a path forward for the more than 5,000 European and American companies that relied on the Privacy Shield Framework.

“We are pleased with today’s news that the Department of Commerce and European Commission have opened discussions with an aim to reviving and strengthening the Privacy Shield Framework. Relied on by more than 5,000 European and American companies, the Framework is a critical facilitator of the data flows that are necessary for routine business operations and the transatlantic economic relationship. We offer our support as the discussions continue.”

About SIIA:
SIIA is an umbrella association that represents constituencies from technology, data and media companies. Through in-person and online business development opportunities, peer networking, corporate education, intellectual property protection and government relations, SIIA provides a network of resources for its 800+ member companies that drive innovation and growth. For more information, visit www.siia.net.