Microsoft to Comply With California’s Privacy Law Nationwide
The CCPA — somewhat similar to the European Union’s GDPR — is one of the most sweeping data privacy regulations in the U.S.
REDMOND, Wash. — Microsoft will comply with California’s landmark online privacy law nationwide when it goes into effect next year, the company announced.
In a blog post Monday, Microsoft Chief Privacy Officer Julie Brill wrote that the company will extend the main principles of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) across the United States, in keeping with the company’s decision last year to apply the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Microsoft’s decision to comply in principle with both regulations was needed due to a lack of action by the U.S. Congress to pass comprehensive privacy legislation, Brill said.
The CCPA, which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2020, will mandate sweeping data privacy regulations in California. To some extent similar to GDPR, under the CCPA companies must disclose to users what personal data of theirs is being collected, whether it is sold and to whom, and allow users to opt out of any sales. Users must also have access to their data and be able to request that a company delete it.
“CCPA marks an important step toward providing people with more robust control over their data in the United States. It also shows that we can make progress to strengthen privacy protections in this country at the state level even when Congress can’t or won’t act,” Brill said.
Although requirements under the CCPA are still being developed, Brill said Microsoft will monitor any changes to how the government asks companies to enforce the new transparency and control requirements under the regulation.
Microsoft’s position sets it apart from many of its industry peers. California’s privacy legislation is opposed by many tech industry companies in the state, including Facebook and Google, which have lobbied aggressively against the CCPA.
Even so, Brill described Microsoft’s move to support the California law as a necessary show of support for privacy policy changes across the country.
“As important a milestone as CCPA is, more remains to be done to provide the protection and transparency needed to give people confidence that businesses respect the privacy of their personal information and can be trusted to use it appropriately,” she said.
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About the Author
Rodney Bosch, Senior Editor
Although Bosch’s name is quite familiar to those in the security industry, his previous experience has been in daily newspaper journalism. Prior to joining SECURITY SALES & INTEGRATION in 2006, he spent 15 years with the Los Angeles Times, where he performed a wide assortment of editorial responsibilities, including feature and metro department assignments as well as content producing for latimes.com. Bosch is a graduate of California State University, Fresno with a degree in Mass Communication & Journalism. In 2007, he successfully completed the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association’s National Training School coursework to become a Certified Level I Alarm Technician.
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