To say that data governance and data compliance are rapidly becoming areas of immense strategic importance for businesses would be an understatement. Governments worldwide already have data protection laws in place or are busy drafting these laws. Moreover, users have become increasingly aware and educated about their rights online, especially regarding what data businesses can collect about them.

The California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) is the data protection law that will take effect in California in January, 2023. Since the United States does not have a federal data protection law in place, most States legislatures have taken action to create regulations to protect their citizens.

California’s importance cannot be overstated. Thanks to Silicon Valley, it is at the heart of technological overtures being made on a daily basis. That, in addition to the state’s strong purchasing power, makes it vital for the businesses looking to operate in the US or to cater to US consumers, compliance with CPRA can very well make or break a business’s chance of success. Hence, understanding the essentials of the CPRA, its history, how it differs from the existing regulation, and perhaps most importantly, how to ensure compliance with it should be high on the list of priorities for businesses.

What is CPRA?

The California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) is California’s equivalent of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in place within the European Union (EU). The legislation was passed in November, 2020 and will come into effect officially on January 1, 2023.

When it does come into effect, it amends the existing California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), effectively replacing the CCPA. The CCPA is relatively new legislation itself, only being enforced since July 1, 2020.

So, why is the CCPA being replaced so early? It all goes back (Read more...)