The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) came into effect January 1, 2020, and applies to any organization that discloses almost any kind of data about California residents (even if your company is not located in California). The CCPA says, among other things, that businesses need to disclose what information it collects about consumers and how that data will be used. Organizations are required to get unequivocal permission to use that data for any purpose, and consumers have the right to opt out of having their personal data sold or disclosed to third parties.
It also means if a customer asks you to delete them or correct the data you have, you need a mechanism in place to do that and, as necessary, to also communicate that directive with your team members. If you are not ready to complete a consumer’s request – and you have legitimate reasons you can’t comply with the request – you must be prepared to communicate that. You also need a strong privacy policy, and it must be written correctly. You need forms for consumers to request action on their data, and those forms must meet legal requirements. Web sites, emails, and mailings may all need to include notices for California residents. Without taking appropriate measures, your organization could be fined by the State of California or sued by California residents.
QuestMark realizes that laws like this are becoming the new normal. Consumers are taking responsibility over their data and will soon own and control who gets to use it. Our team is preparing for this continued privacy reform.
Schedule a call with us to discuss possible changes required by CCPA.
