When you're online, do you click the button that tells websites not to sell your personal information?
Californians have the ability to do so under the California Consumer Privacy Act, which the state Department of Justice began enforcing last July 1. Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday said it's the toughest such law in the nation, and the state is cracking down on businesses violating it.
But not as many residents are taking advantage of it as he had hoped.
"That’s part of what today’s about," Bonta said in a press conference. "It’s to let people know that it’s there, and it’s their decision."
The Attorney General’s Office recently created a tool for California consumers to draft notices to businesses that don’t have an easy-to-find “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” link on their websites.
If businesses violate the law, they can expect to hear from the state’s Department of Justice, which gives them a month to comply with the law.
"To date, 75% of businesses that received a notice to cure addressed the alleged CCPA violations within the 30-day window," Bonta said. "The remaining 25% are either within their 30-day window, or are under an active investigation."
Among the businesses to receive those notices? A car dealership that was collecting personal information for test drives, and a dating platform that failed to have the proper privacy links on its website.
Bonta said all that data is valuable. If you don't want yours sold, you must opt out.
"Use the 'Do Not Sell My Personal Information' on companies' homepages as you see fit to protect your personal information," he said.
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