Sector-Specific Legislation

Privacy and data protection laws targeting specific industries or data types rather than applying broadly across all sectors. Unlike comprehensive frameworks like GDPR or CCPA, sector-specific laws address unique characteristics, risks, and sensitivities of particular industries. Major U.S. examples include: HIPAA (healthcare), GLBA (financial services), FERPA (education), COPPA (children's online services), FCRA (credit reporting), and ECPA (electronic communications). These laws often impose stricter requirements than general privacy laws because they govern particularly sensitive data or vulnerable populations. Organizations may need to comply with multiple overlapping frameworks—a health tech company might face HIPAA, CCPA, GDPR, and COPPA requirements simultaneously. Sector-specific laws typically preempt or modify general privacy laws within their scope. Compliance strategies should identify all applicable frameworks, map overlapping requirements, implement the most stringent protections, and maintain documentation demonstrating compliance with each applicable regime.