California’s new privacy law, the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (AB 375), will go into effect on January 1, 2020. The law expands privacy rights, provides California consumers with more control over the personal information that businesses collect on them, and includes civil penalties and statutory damages for noncompliance. While the new privacy law will likely have a ripple effect on other states exploring increased privacy protections, even on a standalone basis, the California law will have an enormous impact given the number of businesses that operate in California and offer consistent websites, apps and online services to residents of California and the other 49 states. The law reflects a growing public interest in protecting personal information and, along with the adoption of policies similar to the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation by many global companies, suggests that heightened debate, additional legislation and increased high-stakes litigation may be inevitable. Read more on our issued Client Alert here.
