Proposition 24 Would Help Protect Californians From Online Hackers

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 31, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the Yes on Prop 24 campaign announced that Prop 24 would give Californians the fundamental right to have their personal information kept safe. Specifically, Prop 24 requires businesses that collect personal information to keep that information secure from theft. Prop 24 is endorsed by Consumer Reports, Consumer Watchdog and Common Sense Media.

“Some of the biggest tech companies have refused to honor Californians’ requests to stop the disclosure of their information for behavioral advertising, and they’re lobbying for exemptions for these practices in other states,” said Maureen Mahoney, policy analyst at Consumer Reports. “California consumers should use their power as citizens to vote for Proposition 24 to show that they will stand up for themselves if companies and legislators won’t.”

“As co-sponsors of the California Consumer Privacy Act, we are pleased to support Californians for Consumer Privacy on this measure, which will ensure Californians’ strong privacy rights are not weakened in the future,” said James P. Steyer, founder & CEO of Common Sense. “California was the first state to pass a comprehensive privacy law to protect consumers’ personal data. This year, the people of California have a chance to make us the first state with a Privacy Protection Agency to enforce those rights and hold Big Tech accountable.”

“Under Prop 24, a consumer can limit the use of their sensitive information to stop Uber from profiling them based on race, stop Spotify from utilizing their precise geo-location and prevent Facebook from using their sexual orientation, health status or religion in its algorithms,” said Carmen Balber, Consumer Watchdog’s executive director. “In addition, Californians won’t have to worry about the legislature repealing key privacy rights, will have stronger rights to personally enforce privacy laws and will have the protection of a well-staffed and funded European-style privacy commission to protect their rights.”

Proposition 24 would:

1. Protect your most personal information, by allowing you to prevent businesses from using or sharing sensitive information about your health, finances, race, ethnicity, and precise location;
2. Safeguard young people, TRIPLING FINES for violations involving children’s information;
3. Put new limits on companies’ collection and use of our personal information;
4. Establish an enforcement arm—the California Privacy Protection Agency—to defend these rights and hold companies accountable, and extend enforcement including IMPOSING PENALTIES FOR NEGLIGENCE resulting in theft of consumers’ emails and passwords;
5. MAKE IT MUCH HARDER TO WEAKEN PRIVACY in California in the future, by preventing special interests and politicians from undermining Californians’ privacy rights, while allowing the Legislature to amend the law to further the primary goal of strengthening consumer privacy to better protect you and your children, such as opt-in for use of data, further protections for uniquely vulnerable minors, and greater power for individuals to hold violators accountable.

www.caprivacy.org 
@caprivacyorg

Paid for by Yes on 24, Californians for Consumer Privacy
Committee major funding from Alastair Mactaggart