President Joe Biden has signed an executive order aimed at protecting the personal data of American citizens from hostile countries. The order targets the practice of trading personal information by companies and data brokers, particularly focusing on sensitive data such as genomic information, biometric data, personal health records, geolocation data, and financial information.

The Biden Administration expressed concerns about the potential misuse of Americans' data by countries deemed hostile, citing risks of privacy breaches, counterintelligence threats, blackmail, and national security concerns. The White House highlighted worries that sensitive personal data could be used to track individuals, pry into their personal lives, and even intimidate activists, journalists, and political figures.

As part of the executive order, the Department of Justice will issue regulations to protect sensitive data, and the Department of Homeland Security and the DOJ will set high security standards to prevent access to American data by hostile nations through commercial avenues. In addition, a foreign participation assessment of the U.S. telecommunications sector will now consider threats to Americans' personal data.

This move follows the Biden administration's previous executive order to enhance cybersecurity at U.S. ports, with a focus on addressing potential risks associated with equipment made in China. The government has also turned its attention to the data-broker industry, with lawmakers seeking more information on data collection and distribution practices.

The executive order aligns with the U.S.' commitment to secure data flow and maintain privacy protections for individuals while preserving the government's ability to enforce laws and policies in the public interest. These efforts underscore a broader push towards safeguarding Americans' personal information in an era of growing cybersecurity threats and data vulnerabilities.