CALIFORNIANS CONSIDER EXPANDING LANDMARK DATA PRIVACY LAW

Two years ago, California became the first state to pass a sweeping digital privacy law seen as the strongest of its kind in the United States. Voters are now deciding whether to refine and expand that law, or leave it as is.

If approved, Proposition 24 would update a 2018 law that gave Californians the right to know what information companies collect about them online, the right to get that data deleted and the right to opt out of the sale of their personal information.

The new measure would triple the fines for companies that violate kids’ privacy or break laws on the collection and sale of children’s private information. It would create a dedicated state agency to enforce the new law, with an annual budget of $10 million.

It also aims to close some loopholes that proponents say companies like Facebook, Google and Spotify have exploited.