The following statement is attributed to Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®, regarding President Biden’s executive order on cybersecurity. 

“We commend the federal government for proactively taking steps to secure our digital infrastructure. Although this executive order is well-intentioned, it misses the mark in promoting thoughtful cybersecurity policies. Proposals that dictate labeling, certification or other broad regulatory requirements will only slow response to cyberattacks and hurt U.S. leadership and competitiveness. Imposing one-size-fits-all rules on the diverse, complex and rapidly evolving threat landscape will undermine rather than improve security.  

“Specifically, unclear labeling and certification policies can confuse consumers and give a false sense of security about what protection is provided. Further, improperly designed information sharing programs without clear incentives can result in less collaboration and divert resources away from protecting customer data during critical moments. Finally, the federal government should work with the private sector when creating standardized responses to cyber incidents.  

“The best way to incentivize device manufacturers is to use voluntary standards, which provide clear consumer benefit, rather than mandate government purchasers without industry input. We urge the federal government to partner with the private sector to build on existing efforts to improve cybersecurity, foster best practices – not mandates, educate consumers about their role in security and promote industry standards to protect Americans from cyberattacks.” 

CTA convenes major cybersecurity and technology organizations, industry associations, consortia and standards bodies to develop voluntary industry consensus standards so security solutions work effectively across many platforms and devices. Additionally, as a member of the Council to Secure the Digital Economy, CTA collaborates with industry partners to combat emerging cybersecurity threats. 

Learn more about CTA’s cybersecurity policy recommendations in recent white paper, Smart Policy to Secure Our Smart Future: How to Promote a Secure Internet of Things for Consumers.