I sometimes see it implied that Congress’s poor understanding of Internet platforms’ data collection practices means it shouldn’t regulate them. I think that gets it backwards.
I argue here that Congress’s confusion about Google and privacy is really an argument *for* regulation. slate.com/technology/201…
Specifically, we need federal privacy regulation that compels tech companies to make their policies *less* confusing. You shouldn’t have to be an expert to know whether Google is tracking you around the room on your iPhone, as the befuddled Rep. Poe demanded to know. 
At today’s hearing, the biggest theme was GOP grandstanding about Google’s alleged liberal bias. That understandable but overblown concern is going nowhere under Dem committee leadership, as @jguynn pointed out.
The more interesting takeaway from today’s hearing, though, was the bipartisan frustration at not being able to understand how Google’s digital surveillance system works. One GOP rep framed better privacy protections in terms of patriotism. And that’s a very encouraging sign.
