Are You Ready For The California Consumer Privacy Act?

Some of the most well-known technology companies are headquartered in California, which on June 28 passed the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA).

- Rob Watts

The CCPA goes into effect January 1, 2020, and it’s expected to affect businesses throughout California, the United States and, in fact, the whole world. The CCPA will impact the way that businesses can handle customer data, and it’s considered by many to be the strictest data protection law in US history.

If you’re feeling a sense of déjà vu, then you’re not alone. Back in May, the European Union’s (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into effect. The GDPR has been a hot topic here at PCMag. While the law was made across the Atlantic, the truth is, it’s made a mark on businesses worldwide because it applies to all EU citizens regardless of where they live. Much like the GDPR, the impact of the new CCPA will have far-reaching implications beyond the scope of its origin state. We talked to a few experts to learn more about the CCPA and somewhat to expect.

THE CCPA AND YOU: AN INTRODUCTION

The CCPA establishes a consumer’s right to request that businesses disclose what sort of data is gathered about them. Unless you’re using a tool such as a virtual private network (VPN), it’s pretty much a certainty that countless businesses are gathering information about you whenever you’re online. To say this sort of transparency that the CCPA will bring is a big deal would be an understatement.

John Tsopanis is a Privacy Product Manager at 1touch. io, a company that helps businesses understand the personal data they handle. Tsopanis has spent the past few years doing GDPR consulting for companies and is gearing up to do the same with the CCPA. Tsopanis explains the CCPA in basic terms.