Senate Bill S154

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Relates to requiring manufacturers of smart speakers to obtain permission from users before storing recordings

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Consumer Protection Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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2021-S154 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A4137
Current Committee:
Senate Consumer Protection
Law Section:
General Business Law
Laws Affected:
Add §349-b-2, Gen Bus L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2019-2020: S7641, A8113
2023-2024: S514

2021-S154 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires manufacturers of smart speakers to obtain signed written permission from users before storing voice recordings.

2021-S154 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S154 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    154
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 6, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  THOMAS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Consumer Protection
 
 AN ACT to amend the general  business  law,  in  relation  to  requiring
   manufacturers of smart speakers to obtain permission from users before
   storing recordings
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section
 349-b-2 to read as follows:
   § 349-B-2. RECORDINGS BY SMART SPEAKERS. 1. FOR THE PURPOSES  OF  THIS
 SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A)  "CONNECTED TELEVISION" MEANS A VIDEO DEVICE DESIGNED FOR HOME USE
 TO RECEIVE  TELEVISION SIGNALS AND REPRODUCE SUCH SIGNALS  ON  AN  INTE-
 GRATED,  PHYSICAL SCREEN DISPLAY THAT EXCEEDS TWELVE INCHES, EXCEPT THAT
 THIS TERM SHALL NOT INCLUDE A PERSONAL COMPUTER, PORTABLE DEVICE,  OR  A
 SEPARATE  DEVICE THAT CONNECTS PHYSICALLY OR WIRELESSLY TO A TELEVISION,
 INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A SET-TOP BOX,  VIDEO  GAME  CONSOLE,  OR
 DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDER.
   (B)  "OTHER  CONNECTED  DEVICE WITH A VOICE RECOGNITION FEATURE" MEANS
 ANY DEVICE EQUIPPED WITH A VOICE RECOGNITION FEATURE SOLD IN THIS STATE,
 INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A  WIRELESS  SPEAKER  AND  VOICE  COMMAND
 DEVICE  SOLD  IN  THIS  STATE  WITH AN INTEGRATED VIRTUAL ASSISTANT THAT
 OFFERS INTERACTIVE ACTIONS AND  HANDS-FREE  ACTIVATION,  OR  A  CELLULAR
 TELEPHONE, TABLET, OR OTHER DEVICE SOLD IN THIS STATE WITH AN INTEGRATED
 VIRTUAL  ASSISTANT THAT OFFERS  INTERACTIVE ACTIONS AND HANDS-FREE ACTI-
 VATION.
   (C) "RETAINED" MEANS SAVING, STORING, OR BOTH OF VOICE  RECORDED  DATA
 LONGER  THAN  THE MINIMUM TIME NECESSARY TO COMPLETE A REQUESTED COMMAND
 BY THE USER.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

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