Alva Review-Courier -

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is taking the first steps toward setting national rules governing how companies use consumers data — although one of its goals might be to prevent states from enacting stronger privacy protections of their own.

The approach being pondered by policymakers and pushed by the internet industry leans toward a relatively light government touch. That's in contrast to stricter European rules that took effect in May and a California law that takes effect in 2020. Other states are also considering more aggressive protections.

However it works out, any regulatory push will find...