California remains at the forefront of consumer protection with the enactment of the Delete Act, a potent piece of privacy legislation. This law empowers consumers to easily direct data brokers to erase their data rather than monetizing it. The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) of 2020 initiated this trend, introducing the “Do not sell my info” option on numerous sites.
The Delete Act consolidates the process, enabling individuals to communicate their preferences on a centralized platform rather than contacting each data broker separately. This centralized tool, to be developed by the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA), is expected to be fully operational by 2026. With the Delete Act, every data broker needs to register with the CPPA, comply with data deletion requests bi-monthly, or be susceptible to penalties.
This move by California underlines the urgent need for a consolidated federal privacy law, mirroring the GDPR, as the existing array of varied state privacy laws creates complications.
Furthermore, California reinforces its commitment to consumer rights by championing the right-to-repair legislation. Initiated in 2018, Apple initially opposed such laws. However, sensing the inevitable trajectory, the Cupertino firm reversed its stance and endorsed the bill by mid-2021. Consequently, California became the third state, after Minnesota and New York, to legally recognize the consumers’ right to repair.
State Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman, who co-sponsored the bill, expressed gratitude for the widespread support the legislation received.
Emphasizing its multifaceted benefits, she said it would bolster local repair businesses, grant consumers more autonomy, and encourage environmentally friendly practices.