Rep. Cloud Introduces YODA Bill to Give Americans Ownership of Their Online Data
This bill is in the early stages of the legislative process and is currently sitting in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. It was sent to this committee on May 3, 2026, and has not moved since that date. The committee members must decide whether to hold a vote on the bill before it can move any further.
While data privacy is a popular topic, this specific bill faces a long road through committee and likely opposition from the tech industry.
This bill’s path across every version that has carried it.
Reintroduced
Reintroduced from H.R. 3045 (118th), which died when its Congress ended.
H.R. 3045 (118th) →Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
Small businesses that rely on online advertising, data collection, or digital marketing would face new compliance requirements and restrictions on how they collect and use customer data. While the private right of action only applies to companies making over $50 million, FTC enforcement and state attorney general actions could reach smaller operators, especially data brokers. The ban on monetizing personal data without explicit consent and the requirement for opt-out buttons would disrupt common digital business models.
“Monetization of personal information shall not be considered reasonably necessary to provide a service or conduct an activity that a consumer has requested or reasonably necessary for security or fraud prevention.”
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
No votes, news coverage, or related bills recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
YODA
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