In February 2010, Massachusetts raised the bar in security for businesses keeping it's residents’ information, by creating the most comprehensive data protection and privacy law in the United States – 201 C.M.R. 17; also, known as the Standards for the Protection of Personal Information of Residents of the Commonwealth. This regulation issued by the Department of Consumer Affairs requires all businesses that license or own personal information of a Massachusetts resident to comply with the minimum-security standards set forth in the regulation.