# 119-s-4268: Privacy Protection Updates Act

119-s-4268, Privacy Protection Updates Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] (D-OR); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-08-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4268
- As of: 2026-08-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-4268
- Congress: 119
- Title: Privacy Protection Updates Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-03-26
- Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] (D-OR)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-11

## Summary

**Strengthen protections for journalists' newsgathering materials**. This bill would create a clear suppression remedy, tighten what must be shown in warrants, and treat cloud-stored files as the customer's possession. - Journalists and newsrooms: It would let an aggrieved person move to suppress materials and any evidence derived from them in federal, state, or local proceedings when a search or seizure violates the Act. Suppression covers searches that are facially deficient or that breached the Act. - Law enforcement and prosecutors: Warrant applications would have to disclose the factual basis for claimed exceptions, identify all targets, and show the search is consistent with the First Amendment. Officers could do emergency searches if they limit the scope and file a court application within 48 hours for court review. - Cloud customers and subscribers: Files stored on electronic communications or remote computing services by or for a customer would be treated as the customer's possession for purposes of the Act.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Ban on unlawfully seized evidence: benefit, high. If enacted, the bill would bar the use or sharing of covered materials that were searched or seized in violation of the Act. The ban would cover courts, grand juries, agencies, and legislative committees at federal, State, and local levels. An aggrieved person could ask a court to suppress those ma…
- New warrant rules and cloud protections: benefit, high. If enacted, the bill would define “covered materials” as the items listed in subsections (a) or (b). It would generally require a court warrant under the Federal Rules or State warrant rules to search those materials. Warrant applications would have to state the factual basis, note information that…

## Related bills

- 119-s-891: Bipartisan Health Care Act
- 119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026
- 119-s-5022: Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act
- 119-s-2819: Head Start for America's Children Act
- 119-s-4504: Full-Service Community School Expansion Act of 2026
- 119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026

## Sources
- [119-s-4268 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/4268)

## Related
- [119-s-891: Bipartisan Health Care Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-891)
- [119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5071)
- [119-s-5022: Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5022)
- [119-s-2819: Head Start for America's Children Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2819)
- [119-s-4504: Full-Service Community School Expansion Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4504)
- [119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3990)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4268 (as of 2026-08-11).