Privacy bill signed into law throughout California

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A bill ensuring consumers’ privacy while surfing the Internet was signed into law Thursday.

The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, known as A.B. 375, was authored by Assemblyman Ed Chau, D-Monterey Park, Senator Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys and Senator Bill Dodd, D-Napa. It is a response to the recent data breaches experienced by Target, Equifax, Cambridge Analytica, and other firms.

When it goes into effect in 2020, this new privacy law will give consumers the right to request all the data businesses are collecting on them and see which companies it is being given to.They may also request that businesses delete or don’t sell any of their data.

Assemblyman Dante Acosta, R-Santa Clarita, who voted yes, emphasized the importance of the act Friday.

“I supported AB 375 in particular because it is vital that we protect our children’s privacy, especially when they are too young to make decisions that may have long-lasting effects on their lives,” he said of the bill. “Also, this privacy act gives every Californian control over their information and identity.”

Sens. Henry Stern, D-Calabasas, and Scott Wilk, R-Antelope Valley, as well as Assemblyman Tom Lackey, R-Palmdale, also voted yes on the bill.

Previously, a privacy initiative headed by Alistair Mactaggart had already drawn the appropriate amount of signatures to qualify for the November ballot, who said he’d withdraw the initiative if lawmakers passed their own privacy bill.

The legislative solution to the concerns the initiative addressed was relatively preferred by tech companies that opposed Mactaggart’s initiative. The legislation largely removes the right for consumers to take legal action and relegates power to the attorney general.

Thursday was the deadline to finalize ballot propositions, but the law passed.

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