What was the primary purpose of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act?

The primary purpose of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, also known as the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999, was indeed to protect private customer information filed with financial institutions. This legislation introduced important measures to enhance consumer privacy in the financial sector, requiring financial institutions to establish privacy policies and practices to safeguard personal information. Specifically, the Act mandates that institutions must inform customers about their information-sharing practices and allows customers the opt-out option regarding their information being shared with non-affiliated third parties.

The focus on protecting consumer information reflects a significant concern about privacy in the context of the financial services industry, especially as institutions began merging and offering a wider array of services. This attention to consumer privacy keeps in line with the broader regulatory goals of ensuring that customers' sensitive data is handled responsibly and securely.