Privacy law in Wisconsin

There is no comprehensive consumer privacy law in Wisconsin yet. Assembly Bill 172, introduced in April 2025, would create a broad consumer data protection law (Wis. Stat. § 100.80) giving Wisconsin residents the right to access, correct, delete, and obtain a portable copy of their personal data, as well as the right to opt out of targeted advertising and data sales. As of the extraction date, AB 172 has been referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection and has not been signed into law. In the meantime, Wisconsin residents are protected by a breach notification law, federal privacy laws, and Optery can still help you remove your data from hundreds of data brokers.

What protections do exist in Wisconsin

Wisconsin Notice of Unauthorized Acquisition of Personal Information (Data Breach Notification Law)

Wisconsin businesses that collect personal information about Wisconsin residents must notify affected individuals when that data is acquired without authorization. The notice must be provided in the most expedient time possible. Personal information covered includes name combined with Social Security number, driver's license number, financial account numbers, or DNA profile. (Wis. Stat. § 134.98)

Wisconsin Patient Health Care Records Law

Wisconsin law protects the privacy of patient health care records. Patients generally have the right to access their own records, and health care providers and others with access to records are prohibited from disclosing them without patient consent except in limited circumstances. (Wis. Stat. §§ 146.81–146.84)

Wisconsin Mental Health Records Law

Wisconsin law strictly protects the confidentiality of treatment records for individuals receiving mental health, developmental disability, alcoholism, and drug dependency services. Disclosure of these records requires patient consent except in very limited circumstances defined by statute. (Wis. Stat. § 51.30)

Federal protections that apply to Wisconsin residents

Even without a state comprehensive privacy law, federal protections apply to Wisconsin residents. The FTC Act Section 5 prohibits unfair or deceptive data practices by most businesses. HIPAA protects your medical and health information held by healthcare providers and insurers. COPPA limits collection of personal data from children under 13. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act protects financial information held by banks and financial institutions.

What’s happening in the Wisconsin legislature

Several privacy bills have been introduced in Wisconsin. None has passed into law yet, but they signal where consumer privacy legislation in the state may be heading.

AB 172 — Wisconsin Consumer Data Protection Act

Assembly Bill 172, introduced April 9, 2025, would create a comprehensive consumer data protection law in Wisconsin (Wis. Stat. § 100.80). It would give Wisconsin residents the right to access, correct, delete, and port their personal data, and to opt out of targeted advertising, data sales, and certain automated profiling. The bill would apply to businesses processing data of at least 100,000 consumers, or at least 25,000 consumers if more than 50% of revenue comes from data sales. Enforcement would be by DATCP and the Department of Justice, with penalties up to $10,000 per violation. The bill was referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection and, if passed, would take effect July 1, 2027. Status: in committee. Read the bill text.

How Optery helps Wisconsin residents

Data brokers collect and sell personal information about almost every American adult — home addresses, phone numbers, family relationships, employment history. They do this regardless of whether your state has a comprehensive privacy law. Optery scans over 200 data brokers to find where your information is exposed, then submits removal requests on your behalf and tracks compliance. Our service works for every US resident, not just those in states with strong privacy statutes.

See which data brokers have your information →