By John Dee - President, Resident PlaceWise DJ, Podcaster and Hockey Fan
2018 saw significant movement in consumer privacy protection with the introduction of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and the passage of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in California. Privacy concerns also reached an apex in 2018 when the leaders of tech giants like Facebook, Google and Twitter were compelled to give Congressional testimony on their practices as they relate to consumer privacy. The Facebook Cambridge Analytica scandal made it clear to everyone just how much user data was being collected and used by all of them.
CCPA TO USA
On January 1, 2020, CCPA will go into effect that will require businesses that collect and use personal data to allow Californians to 1) know what personal data is being collected, 2) know if their personal information is being sold or disclosed and to whom, 3) prohibit the sale of this data; 4) access their personal data and 5) enjoy the same service and prices for any services, even if they choose to exercise their privacy rights.
Damages for each violation can range between $100 and $750 per incident with an additional fine of up to $7500 for each incident if the state brings charges directly against a company.
These protections cover Californians and extend beyond the borders to the Golden State to wherever a Californian might be transacting on the Internet. Given this key clause, CCPA is likely to become the standard in consumer protection laws across the country, regardless of location. Additional measure are being considered in other state and we’ll discuss these here as they evolve.
How to Prepare
PlaceWise is implementing systems and processes across our platform to help customers comply with these new regulations. Managing user consent will be important, as will the ability to present and delete any user data collected.
One thing is for sure, outdated procedures like paper collection of personal information such as phone numbers and email addresses will be a thing of the past. Stay tuned as the PlaceWise team takes on privacy compliance and translates it into safe and actionable services for the global shopping center industry.
