California’s latest privacy regulations, devised by the California Privacy Protection Agency, have been met with an array of criticisms from various business, labor, and consumer interests following a public forum held on Wednesday. At the crux of the discussion is the agency’s proposed rules concerning company use of customers’ private information for a range of purposes, from making recruitment decisions to shaping advertising strategies.
The forthcoming rules, which have been brewing since the latter part of 2023, necessitate businesses utilizing
automated decision-making technology (ADMT) to provide consumers with explicit notice, a way to opt out of digital campaigns, and transparency with regards to how they implement ADMT in decision-making processes about them.
Rick Arney, co-author of the legislation forming the California Privacy Protection Agency, warned that customers’ rights to dodge website advertising have to be closely controlled; in his words, an over-extensive application would “essentially break the internet”.
These developments signal the expansive and somewhat controversial nature of privacy regulation in the age of data and digitalization. To navigate this regulatory landscape, it will be important for businesses and legal professionals to stay informed and actively engage in discussions around digital privacy rules and regulations.
Read more about the proposed regulations and the debate around them over at
Law.com.