What's happening
This bill prohibits consumer reporting agencies and lenders from using individuals' internet viewing history to determine credit worthiness.
Why it matters
Protects personal privacy by blocking the use of internet browsing habits. in determining credit scores, preventing lenders and credit bureaus from mining sensitive, non-financial data about your online activity.
Reduces risk of digital profiling and discrimination. , as your web searches, streaming choices, or website visits cannot be turned into factors that might unfairly limit your access to loans, credit cards, or other financial products.
Establishes clear oversight and enforcement mechanisms. New York’s superintendent and consumer protection office are tasked with monitoring compliance, maintaining hotlines for complaints, and verifying that credit scoring models do not use internet history—offering consumers practical avenues for redress.
Sets a precedent for data boundaries in fintech and banking regulation. , signaling to both consumers and industry that certain types of personal information are off-limits in credit decisions, potentially influencing future privacy laws nationwide.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Credit Use of Browsing
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
14 Co-sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to rules
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.40
- Rules report cal.40
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Referred to consumer affairs and protection
- Reported referred to rules
- Referred to consumer affairs and protection
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Ban Credit Use of Web History
In Senate Committee · Consumer Protection · Sponsor Brian Kavanagh
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3565
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 27, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. CRESPO, SEPULVEDA, RODRIGUEZ, RAMOS, PICHARDO, McDONOUGH, HOOPER, RAIA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
AN ACT to amend the general business law and the banking law, in relation to prohibiting a consumer reporting agency or lender from using an individual's internet viewing history to determine such individual's credit worthiness
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 380-j of the general business law is amended by adding a new subdivision (h) to read as follows:
(h) No consumer reporting agency shall collect, evaluate, report, or maintain in the file on a consumer the consumer's use of internet or internet viewing history as a factor to determine the consumer's credit worthiness, credit standing or credit capacity.
§ 2. Section 352 of the banking law is amended by adding a new sixth undesignated paragraph to read as follows:
No licensee shall collect, evaluate, report or maintain in the file on a borrower the borrower's use of internet or internet viewing history as a factor to determine the borrower's credit worthiness, credit standing or credit capacity. The provisions of this paragraph shall be enforced concurrently by the superintendent and the director of the division of consumer protection and each shall utilize their consumer complaint and assistance hotlines to document complaints by borrowers who believe that their internet viewing history is being used to deny them credit. The superintendent shall ensure that the credit scoring formulas filed with the department do not contain variables which account for internet viewing history as part of that formula by asking the licensee to certify to that fact.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08178-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.