The executive order authorized the US attorney general “to prevent the large-scale transfer of financial, health, biometric and location details of Americans to "the countries of concern", Reuters reported.
The order centers on the business of selling personal information, in which, companies and so-called brokers who collect and trade data are involved. But the directive appears to target Chinese companies such as BGI that study genes.
The move comes as the US Congress is also considering introducing a bill that would prohibit federal agencies from transferring genetic and health information of citizens to Chinese companies BGI and Wuxi APPTEC.
BGI has already made it clear that it does not collect the information of American patients and have no access to the genetic and personal data of people but a congressional legislation will force the company to leave the American market.
Washington has been trying to stem the flow of American personal data to China as part of a years-long struggle over trade and technology.
US officials claim Russia and China are collecting sensitive information on American citizens through intermediary companies and using them in a "wide range of malicious activities such as cyberattacks, espionage and extortion".
Buying information through intermediaries is a legal matter in America, which shows a gap in the national security, senior US government officials said Tuesday.
4399
Your Comment