Should You Be Allowed to Opt Out of Businesses Selling Your Personal Info?

What’s the story?

• Seeing “Do not sell my information” links popping up on websites? CCPA is to thank (or blame).
• The California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA, allows customers to instruct businesses to not sell their personal information. It also requires that companies tell you what data they're collecting when you ask—and delete it all if you request that.
• The law applies to any company that meet one of three criteria: 1) have at least $25 million in revenue, 2) make at least half their money by selling data, 3) gather information on at least 50,000 consumers. 

Here’s what the law does, according to California Attorney General Xavier Becerra:

• Gives you the right to know what personal information is collected, used, shared, or sold
• Gives you the right to delete personal information held by businesses
• Gives you the right to opt-out of the sale of personal information
• Gives you the right not to get worse service – or a higher price – if you exercise a privacy right
• Businesses must provide a “Do Not Sell My Info” link on their website or mobile app
• Businesses must disclose financial incentives offered in exchange for the retention or sale of a consumer’s personal information

What are people saying?

Supporters

"I think my health information is sensitive. I think my Social Security number is sensitive. I think my dating patterns, especially since I'm married, would be sensitive," Becerra joked.

• The AG added that "aggressive, early, decisive enforcement" of the law will likely to focus on the sale of data involving children. "The last thing you want is for any company to think that we're going to be soft on letting you misuse kids' personal information."
• "On Jan. 1, 2020, all Californians will be able to find out what personal information a business is collecting about them, their devices and their children," said Mary Stone Ross, one of the new law's co-authors, and a data privacy expert.

Opponents

• In September, a group of 51 chief executives — including Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and IBM’s Ginni Rometty, and Best Buy’s Corie Barry - signed an open letter to House and Senate leadership asking for a federal privacy bill.
• “Our companies reach virtually every American consumer and rely on data and digital platforms every day to deliver and improve our products and services. Consumer trust and confidence are essential to our businesses. We are committed to protecting consumer privacy and want consumers to have confidence that companies treat their personal information responsibly,” the letter reads.

 “We urgently need a comprehensive federal consumer data privacy law to strengthen consumer trust and establish a stable policy environment where new services and technologies can flourish within a well-understood legal and regulatory framework.”

 What do you think?

Do you support the CCPA? Or do you want to see federal legislation? If so, what would you want it to look like? Take action and tell your reps, then share your thoughts below.

—Josh Herman

(Photo Credit: iStock / Sorbetto)