A simple guide to the CALIFORNIA CONSUMER PRIVACY ACT [CCPA]

As things stand today, companies are well within their rights to monitor Americans’ online and offline behavior, collect data, translate this data into insightful information, and use this information for turning a profit. And they can do all of this without the consumers' permission or knowledge.

This means that consumers in the United States have no control over their personal data, and there is no repercussions for companies that misuse this data. This is why many US citizens want to know how their data is being used.

Americans need a law that will provide transparency into how their data is being used and what for. In addition, this law needs to hold businesses accountable when they fail to protect themselves from data breaches and their consumers from identity theft.

The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which will go into effect on January 1, 2020, aims to do just this within the state of California. It’s the first law of its kind in the US, and it may lead to other states following suit quickly. It could even be a precursor to a federal law.