The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act requires financial institutions – companies that offer consumers financial products or services like loans, financial or investment advice, or insurance – to explain their information-sharing practices to their customers and to safeguard sensitive data.

The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act was enacted on November 12, 1999. In addition to reforming the financial services industry, the Act addressed concerns relating to consumer financial privacy. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act required the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and other government agencies that regulate financial institutions to implement regulations to carry out the Act's financial privacy provisions (GLB Act). The regulations required all covered businesses to be in full compliance by July 1, 2001.