Maryland Enacts One of the Strictest US Data-Privacy Laws
On 9 May 2024 Maryland Governor Wes Moore signed the Maryland Online Data Privacy Act (MODPA), making Maryland one of roughly a dozen-plus US states with a comprehensive consumer privacy law. In the causal graph this event strengthens Digital-Rights and Platform-Power Regulation, a driver that strengthens Alternative sources of information index — an improving welfare path.
Read the full account
On 9 May 2024 Maryland Governor Wes Moore signed the Maryland Online Data Privacy Act (MODPA), making Maryland one of roughly a dozen-plus US states with a comprehensive consumer privacy law. MODPA is widely regarded as among the strictest: it imposes strong data-minimisation duties, bars the sale of sensitive data with narrow exceptions, and prohibits targeted advertising to anyone under 18. The law took effect in October 2025 with enforcement of processing activities phased in from 2026.
Who was responsible
Contribution type and responsibility level for each recorded actor — not sole-author shorthand.
Wes Moore
PersonDirect responsibility
verified
Signing a strict data-minimisation and sensitive-data privacy law strengthened protective digital-rights regulation for state residents.
What changed
Fact → Driver → Indicator. Relationship strength orders the paths; it is not the observed indicator movement.
- FactMaryland Enacts One of the Strictest US Data-Privacy Laws
- strengthensDriverDigital-Rights and Platform-Power Regulation
- strengthensIndicators (4)Alternative sources of information index
impact weight 0.6 · Effect from 9 May 2024 · verified
Strong data-minimisation, a sensitive-data sale ban and a minors' targeted-ad ban materially strengthen privacy protection for citizens.
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.31 (weight 0.6 × strength 0.52)
Observed
0.62 score from 0 to 1 · 0.23 below the normal line (2024)
Worse than normal125 readings, 1900–2024: rose from 0.35 score from 0 to 1 to 0.62 score from 0 to 1.
Above normal = better
Weakens · Relationship strength 0.27 (weight 0.6 × strength 0.45)
Observed
45 Score · 45 above the normal line (2024)
Worse than normal7 readings, 2018–2024: rose from 43.8 Score to 45 Score.
Normal is zero · any amount = worse
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.24 (weight 0.6 × strength 0.4)
Above normal = better
All indicators on this path (4)
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.21 (weight 0.6 × strength 0.35)
Observed
0.55 index score (0-1) · 0.26 below the normal line (2024)
Worse than normalAbove normal = better
Causal path
How this event connects to drivers and indicators in the graph.
- ActorWes Moore
- contributed toFactMaryland Enacts One of the Strictest US Data-Privacy Laws
- strengthensDriverDigital-Rights and Platform-Power Regulation
- strengthensIndicatorAlternative sources of information index
Cite this page
Factrail. (2026). Maryland Enacts One of the Strictest US Data-Privacy Laws. Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/tech-fact-maryland-online-data-privacy-act-2024
https://factrail.ai/facts/tech-fact-maryland-online-data-privacy-act-2024
Accessed 15 October 2026.
By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed
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