Definition: The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) is a privacy law in the state of California, United States, that went into effect on January 1, 2020. The CCPA applies to businesses that collect, process, or sell the personal information of California residents.
Why It Matters: It grants consumers the right to know what personal information is being collected about them, the right to request that their personal information be deleted, and the right to opt-out of the sale of their personal information.
The CCPA also imposes certain obligations on businesses, such as the requirement to disclose to consumers what personal information they have collected, and to provide consumers with a mechanism to exercise their rights under the law. Businesses that fail to comply with the CCPA can be subject to fines and penalties. The CCPA is similar to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union, and it is considered to be one of the most comprehensive privacy laws in the United States.
How It Works: Performance and implementation are generally evaluated using industry-standard tracking tools and technical audits. This process often closely interacts with concepts like General Data Protection Regulation.
Related: General Data Protection Regulation, Personally identifiable information, Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act