Tech Industry Fails to Halt Progress of CCPA

Sep 13,2019

September 13th, the effective end of California’s legislative calendar, is an significant day this year for a variety of reasons. Perhaps one of the most important reasons why September 13th stands out this particular year is the fact that it effectively signals the end of Silicon Valley’s efforts to halt the progress of the California Consumer Protection Act.

Now, January 1st of next year will represent the beginning of a new era for both Californians and Americans as a whole. Beginning at the turn of the new year, a vast collection of powers and privileges will be transferred to consumers which will effectively allow them to demand that companies disclose the specific information that has been collected about them and, if desired, delete it.

The Evolution of Consumer Rights and Privacy Laws

It seems almost impossible to ignore the recent influx of news related to mismanagement of consumer data. Whether you followed the Cambridge Analytica scandal involving Facebook or the massive Equifax data breach, the chances are good that you have read about one of these major scandals. In fact, you may actually know someone who has been affected by these incidents.

The reason that California lawmakers are so passionate about reforming consumer privacy laws is mainly due to the fact that major online retailers, banks and social media platforms currently have the ability to collect massive amounts of information about you and deploy that data as they see fit.

So, why is this a problem? Although many consumers may never experience a negative impact from this data collection, the real threat is the possibility that this information could be stolen by a hacker or group of cyber criminals. For example, if a retailer stored information about your home address and credit card information, this could be used by hackers to make purchases under your name and, in more serious situations, help them steal your identity.

For some consumers, just the idea that major tech companies are profiting by selling your data is enough to get upset. Many consumers feel that these companies are profiting off them in ways that are unethical and, most importantly, totally out of their control.

CCPA and Your Rights

When CCPA goes into effect, consumers will have the ability to take privacy back into their own hands. At any time, you will be able to contact companies such as Facebook or Twitter and request a complete copy of the data they have stored relating to you. You can then tell them to delete this information if you so choose.

As you can imagine, many prominent tech companies have been doing their best to stop this legislation from passing. In fact, you may be surprised to learn that companies such as Amazon and IBM have been lobbying federal lawmakers to pass a federal privacy law that would effectively void the rules established by California policy makers and make a more uniform code that would likely be more lenient than the strict rules going into place under CCPA. It will be interesting to observe how this new revolutionary law evolves over time.

Protecting the Rights of Consumers Since Day 1

Our firm has been handling consumer rights cases throughout the California Low Desert and High Desert communities for over 30 years. With a 95% success rate, the California personal injury attorneys at Walter Clark Legal Group will fight to hold those responsible for your loss accountable and win compensation to cover medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you have been want to discuss legal options, contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer. We have offices in Indio, Rancho Mirage, Victorville, El Centro, and Yucca Valley, and represent clients through the entire California Low Desert and High Desert communities.

DISCLAIMER: The Walter Clark Legal Group blog is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal or medical advice. References to laws are based on general legal practices and vary by location. Information reported comes from secondary news sources. We do handle these types of cases, but whether or not the individuals and/or loved ones involved in these accidents choose to be represented by a law firm is a personal choice we respect. Should you find any of the information incorrect, we welcome you to contact us with corrections.