1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Data Broker Accountability and Transparency Act of 2018 . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The privacy of an individual is directly affected by the collection, maintenance, use, and dissemination of personal information by data brokers. (2) An individual rarely has any knowledge about the processing of the individual’s personal information by data brokers. (3) The processing of personal information by data brokers and the commercial clients of data brokers affects economic marketplace opportunities available to individuals. (4) The use of data broker information by Federal, State, and local agencies can affect the ability of an individual to travel, work, obtain government benefits, and receive government services. (5) An individual does not always have a right to access or seek correction of personal information maintained by data brokers. (6) Data brokers operate in interstate commerce, and it is necessary and proper for Congress to regulate the processing of information by data brokers. (7) Existing law does not provide an individual with sufficient privacy or due process protections. (8) Requiring data brokers to provide an individual with fair information practices will increase fairness, improve privacy, promote economic growth, and limit identity theft and other criminal activity by increasing the accuracy and quality of information relied upon by governments and businesses. 3. Definitions In this Act: (1) Commission The term Commission means the Federal Trade Commission. (2) Covered data broker (A) In general The term covered data broker includes all data brokers except those data brokers excepted under subparagraph (B). (B) Exceptions The Commission may except a data broker if the Commission considers, by rule, a data broker outside the scope of this Act, such as a data broker who processes information collected by or on behalf of and received from or on behalf of a nonaffiliated third party concerning an individual who is a customer or an