Ted Cruz stops anti-doxing and data privacy bill in the Senate

Senator Ted Cruz has blocked a bipartisan privacy bill that aimed to stop data brokers from selling or exposing the personal information of Americans, arguing that the measure could limit law enforcement’s ability to track dangerous criminals.

Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon introduced the Protecting Americans from Doxing and Political Violence Act (Senate Bill 2850). Cruz, a known Bitcoin advocate, was the only U.S. senator to object to this bill.

The recent block follows a recent proposal from Cruz aimed at establishing guidelines for artificial intelligence, especially regarding how businesses develop and launch new products. The bill would mandate the establishment of a federally managed AI testing environment, to which firms would apply for entry through the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Several lawmakers, including Cruz, are worried that excessive regulation may cause the U.S. to fall behind China in AI innovation. The proposed sandbox would enable firms to highlight burdensome rules and request exceptions.

Cruz blocks privacy bills and raises concerns about police work

Data brokers collect details like a person’s home address, contacts, and bank account information to sell them to the highest bidder or anyone willing to pay. The information can also become personal, including details about their children, such as the school they attend or the daily routes they take.

Members of the crypto community have also been targeted for abductions. According to a database managed by Bitcoiner Jameson Lopp, there have been over 50 attacks on people or families holding crypto in 2025 alone.

Those who support the bill in the Senate said this information is too dangerous to be sold because criminals, stalkers, or violent individuals could find and harm the target person.

However, Cruz raised strong objections. According to him, the bill could also pose serious problems for law enforcement officers who need to access a wide range of information in the course of their duties. He said children and families could be in more danger if the bill were to become law in its current state because it could prevent police from tracking down convicted criminals.

Cruz told other senators that they should not see his stance as an opposition to privacy because he is “interested in expanding the protection to as wide a universe as is feasible, as is practicable.” However, he feels that the bill’s current version is not yet ready and requires further refinement to strike a balance between protecting people from illegal data sales and providing law enforcement with the necessary tools to keep communities safe.

Cruz also stopped a second and smaller bill that Wyden introduced immediately afterward. The Senate Bill 2851 was written to stop data brokers from selling the personal information of lawmakers, their families, their staff, and also survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. 

Wyden said these groups deserved protection immediately because they faced higher risks of harassment and violent attacks, but Cruz still rejected the bill. According to him, it still failed to address the larger problem of balancing privacy and the needs of law enforcement. 

Wyden pushes for stronger rules to protect Americans from data brokers

Senator Ron Wyden spoke at length about why his bill is so important and used the killing of former Minnesota Representative Melissa Hortman as an example. Investigators believe her attacker purchased information from a data broker and used it to locate her home. Wyden said the Senate has a responsibility to stop this event from happening again.

Wyden also pointed to the 50+ kidnappings and home invasions against individuals connected to crypto in 2025 alone. Most of the attackers found their victims by purchasing their personal information from data brokers. He said that criminals not only target wealthy businesspeople or politicians, but also ordinary citizens whose information has been sold. Privacy experts argue that criminals will always be able to buy what they need without strong laws to prevent them. 

The Protecting Americans from Doxing and Political Violence Act states that data brokers would no longer be allowed to sell or publish personal information. It also gives people the power to demand that their information be removed from websites or businesses within 72 hours and take legal action against any company that fails to comply.

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