Category Archives: Consumer Privacy

Experts Split on Californias Prop 24

by Patrick Dunne for Digital Privacy News

California residents will vote Tuesday on a divisive privacy initiative: Prop 24, also known as the California Privacy Rights and Enforcement Act.

Alastair Mactaggart, the San Francisco developer, wrote and financed Prop 24 to enhance or adjust provisions of his previous initiative, the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA).

Prop 24 would require businesses to provide customers with an opt-out regarding the collection of their private data and would limit how that information is used and stored.

Continue reading Experts Split on Californias Prop 24

12 Consumer and Privacy Groups ask FCC not to Roll Back Telephone Metadata Protections

12 consumer and privacy groups asked the FCC not to roll back protections for sensitive telephone information including metadata (CPNI).

CPNI stands for Customer Proprietary Network Information and refers to the data collected by telecommunication providers about a consumer’s telephone calls. It includes the time, date, duration and destination number of each call and the type of network a consumer subscribes to.

The FCC is considering the “burden” of the CPNI certification process, which requires the agent of a telecom to certify that CPNI protections are in place and to explain to the agency how they work.

Continue reading 12 Consumer and Privacy Groups ask FCC not to Roll Back Telephone Metadata Protections

California Voters Get Say on Data Privacy Law. But Is It Tough Enough?

by Maria Dinezo. Originally published on Courthouse News.

SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — Two years ago, the California Legislature enacted the California Consumer Privacy Act, a tough and expansive piece of legislation meant to mimic Europe’s broad data protections.

The fanfare was short-lived for data-privacy advocates, as lobbyists for various business interests rushed in to water down its protections. Hostile amendments that sought to carve out exemptions to the law were largely defeated after a grueling legislative session in 2019.

Continue reading California Voters Get Say on Data Privacy Law. But Is It Tough Enough?

Prop. 24 actually pokes holes in data privacy protections

Originally published in the San Diego Union Tribune


By TRACY ROSENBERG

SEP. 23, 2020

6:53 PM

When California voters receive their voter guide for the November election, they will see a 53-page measure claiming to improve their privacy rights listed as Proposition 24. What they won’t see, unless they are very diligent at reading lengthy texts, are all the loopholes and exemptions in Proposition 24.

That’s why privacy and consumer protection groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, Media Alliance, Consumer Fed, Consumer Action, Public Citizen, Color of Change, Courage Campaign, California Small Business Alliance, Electronic Frontier Foundation and many others who have fought for you for years won’t endorse Proposition 24. It isn’t what it pretends to be.

Continue reading Prop. 24 actually pokes holes in data privacy protections

No On Prop 24

In 2018 , an initiative headed for the ballot led to a frantic and imperfect bargaining session in Sacramento. The outcome was the only comprehensive state consumer privacy law in the country, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

As we pointed out then, CCPA, the result of the watering down of a stronger legislative proposal that had gotten marooned in the Legislature, had significant flaws. It was the best consumer privacy law in the country because it was basically the *only* consumer privacy law in the country.

Continue reading No On Prop 24

California AG submits New Privacy Rules at Deadline

Originally published in Communications Daily on June 3

“No changes from the last draft is good and bad, emailed Media Alliance Executive Director Tracy Rosenberg. Privacy advocates are glad the AG rejected many business requests that would have weakened CCPA but “disappointed that a few changes we recommended were not incorporated, including to accept browser do-not-track requests as opt outs.”

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Coronavirus Sparks New Fight Over Privacy Law

By Dustin Gardiner originally printed in San Francisco Chronicle

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra’s office is gearing up to enforce the state’s landmark internet privacy law, despite pleas from business groups that say they aren’t ready because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The California Consumer Privacy Act gives people the power to tell companies not to sell their personal data and to demand they delete the information altogether. The law took effect Jan. 1, but enforcement was delayed until July 1 to give businesses time to prepare for a mountain of data requests from their customers.

Continue reading Coronavirus Sparks New Fight Over Privacy Law