California’s Cybersecurity Regulations

California data privacy is a hot topic today as 2018 California state legislation went into effect in 2020. Many companies want to know if the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) applies to them. And if so, they want to know what – if anything – they need to change to become CCPA compliant.

If you’ve been watching the news and operate a business that collects, buys, or sells consumer information, you may be considering a CCPA audit. The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) is the most extensive data privacy law in the United States.

What’s happening in California affects everyone. The fight for a person’s right to privacy affects everyone. Because some people in power will pursue their self-interests to the exclusion of everyone else as far as the law will let them, it is necessary to legislate what can be done with personal information. It used to be that most consumers thought the harmless reason for the collection of their information was to serve up more relevant advertising, which was a win-win situation.

The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) was passed in 2018, and it affects companies that handle private data. The act, also referred to as AB 375 follows the guidelines of the EU’s (European Union) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) while broadening the definition of what constitutes private data.

CCPA is the acronym for the California Consumer Privacy Act. It is the first act of its kind in the U.S. and only covers residents in California. CCPA mirrors the standards set down in 2018 by the European GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) which protects consumers’ private information, including names and email addresses.

In an era where information can easily be captured, shared, and stored, the privacy of personal data is becoming an essential area of focus in today’s electronic world. While customers are starting to become savvier and educated about the Internet and privacy concerns, they are also becoming more distrustful about how organizations collect and use this information.

Business transparency is becoming more important than once thought in the consumer age. As technology continues to evolve, consumers are now taking control of what they want to see, trust, and research by investigating product materials and the overall history of an organization. 

After all, products and services are not only a solution to a problem but can also deliver experience and personal connection. According to the 2016 Label Insight Transparency ROI Study, 73 percent of consumers are willing to pay more for a product that promises complete transparency. 

The United States’ (U.S.) privacy law landscape is continually shifting and evolving as federal and state privacy proposals continue to be debated and become enacted. The recent change in the privacy law sphere can mainly be attributed to the inherent demand of customers for transparency from business organizations.