California has initiated legal proceedings against National Public Data (NPD), a data-harvesting company, for failing to comply with the state’s stringent privacy regulations. This lawsuit marks a significant enforcement action under California’s data broker law, which aims to enhance consumer privacy rights.
The state’s privacy watchdog filed the lawsuit after NPD neglected to register with California, a requirement that subjects non-compliant brokers to fines of $200 per day. NPD now faces a penalty of $46,000 for this initial infraction.
California’s data broker law empowers residents to request the deletion of their personal information from all brokers operating within the state. This legal action underscores California’s commitment to enforcing privacy standards, which have often been overlooked by data brokers across the country.
In recent months, NPD has faced scrutiny due to significant data breaches that exposed sensitive information, including Social Security numbers and personal addresses, affecting millions of Americans. This incident has raised concerns about data security practices within the industry.
California’s proactive stance may serve as a model for other states looking to implement similar privacy protections. The state’s efforts have also inspired initiatives like the app Permission Slip, which assists consumers in managing their data privacy.
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