Olivia Savord
Research Mentor: Devin Judge-Lord
Mentor Department: , Public Policy
Author(s): Olivia Savord, Devin Judge-Lord
Session: Session 7 (4:00 PM – 4:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Poster 130
Abstract
This project examines how stakeholders influence federal rulemaking by analyzing public comments submitted in response to the Federal Trade Commission’s proposed revisions to the Health Breach Notification Rule. As digital health technologies increasingly collect sensitive data outside traditional healthcare systems, the proposed changes aim to expand breach notification requirements and strengthen consumer protections. The study categorizes public comments by stakeholder type and codes them based on whether they reflect private interests—such as compliance costs and impacts on innovation—or public interests, including consumer privacy, data security, and transparency. These positions are then compared to the language and priorities reflected in the final rulemaking materials to assess the extent of stakeholder influence. Preliminary findings indicate a divergence in perspectives: industry stakeholders tend to advocate for narrower regulatory interpretations, while consumer and privacy organizations support broader protections. By evaluating how these competing interests are reflected in regulatory outcomes, this project provides insight into how agencies balance stakeholder input in the rule-making process and highlights the role of public participation in shaping digital health privacy policy.
