New data privacy proposals advanced in California

Three new data privacy draft bills have been passed by the California Privacy Protection Agency following Gov. Gavin Newsom's recent enactment of a law that eases consumer data sharing opt-outs from web browsers, according to The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.

Most significant of the approved measures is a whistleblower protection proposal, which would grant anti-retaliation safeguards and incentives to insiders who spill details regarding companies that are non-adherent to the state's privacy law. Information provided by whistleblowers would be highly valuable to CPPA enforcers, said the agency.

Also passed by the CPPA was proposed legislation that would expand Californians' personal data deletion rights. Californians would also be able to more easily request businesses to remove their data under the third approved draft bill.

"The current right to deletion may create a false sense of protection by failing to address the full scope of data a company may hold and use to make decisions about individuals," the agency noted.