On October 10, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Delete Act into law. Aimed primarily at data brokers, this law represents California’s most recent effort to enhance consumer data privacy. Cozen O’Connor provides an in-depth explanation.
While this new legislative Act does not significantly enlarge the scope of existing digital privacy rights that Californian consumers enjoy, it simplifies the process of exercising these rights. The Act does this by introducing a universal deletion requirement that targets so-called data brokers.
Prior to the Delete Act, enforcement of these regulations was under the purview of the Secretary of State. Now, this responsibility has been shifted to the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA). The transition of regulatory enforcement to the CPPA is likely to make the enforcement process more efficient, and easy to understand.
Despite the Act’s focus on data brokers, the implications for consumer data privacy are far-reaching. Data brokers play a key role in the world of consumer data and privacy, hence the Delete Act has the potential to significantly impact the entire consumer data privacy ecosystem. This move underscores California’s continued focus and commitment to ensuring robust data privacy protections for consumers.
Legal professionals, particularly those working with data brokers or other entities that handle large volumes of consumer data, should watch developments around the Delete Act closely. As its regulations and implementation procedures become clearer, organizations may need to make significant changes to align with its requirements and maintain compliance.