U.S. privacy, consumer groups back EU's proposed privacy rules

Twenty-two U.S. privacy and consumer groups have voiced support for a tough online privacy proposal being considered by the European Union, even though some U.S. businesses and government officials have described the proposal as too regulatory.

The proposal "provides important new protections for the privacy and security of consumers," the groups wrote in a letter sent Wednesday to members of the European Parliament."We believe that the promotion of stronger privacy standards in Europe will benefit consumers around the globe, as businesses improve their privacy practices and security standards."

The E.U. proposal could become the global standard for privacy protections online, said Jeffrey Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, one of the U.S. groups supporting the regulation. That's why the U.S. government and our commercial interests are so alarmed," he said in an email. "U.S. businesses would rather dismiss privacy concerns ... even though they have created a powerful system of commercial surveillance on consumers."