Published: Jan 28, 2025
As we celebrate Data Privacy Week 2025, the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) invites all Californians to take steps to protect your personal information. This year’s theme, “Take Control of Your Data”, emphasizes the importance of understanding your privacy rights and making informed decisions about how your personal information is shared and used.
What Is Personal Information and How Is It Used?
Personal information includes data that can identify you or that relates to you, such as your name, address, email, and browsing history. Businesses often collect, share, or sell this data for purposes like advertising or analytics, which, if not managed responsibly, can pose risks to your privacy. By exercising your rights under California law and following the tips below, you can help better control your personal information.
1. Manage Your Privacy Settings
- Privacy tools: Use opt-out preference signals like Global Privacy Control to automatically opt out of the sale and sharing of your information at every business’s website you visit.
- App permissions: Check what apps have access to your camera, microphone, location, or contacts, and revoke unnecessary permissions. Be cautious of apps requesting sensitive information, like biometric, financial, or medical data.
- Unused apps: Remove apps you no longer use or trust, ensuring you log out or revoke permissions to prevent data retention.
- Website permissions: Review browser settings and disable permissions for sites you no longer use.
- Location tracking: Adjust device settings to allow location access only when needed or block it entirely for certain apps.
- Social media: Review privacy options on your social media accounts, such as who can see your posts and how your data is shared with others.
2. Understand Privacy Policies
Privacy policies can feel overwhelming, but understanding the required elements is key. Businesses subject to the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) are required to meet specific obligations below that empower you to make informed decisions about your privacy. Here’s what to look for:
- California-specific section: Privacy policies must include a section outlining your rights under California law, including how to access, delete, or opt out of data sharing and sales.
- How to exercise privacy rights: Businesses must provide clear ways to exercise your rights. Look for an email, phone number, web portal, or similar submission methods.
- Transparency about tracking: Under California law, businesses must disclose if they sell or share your data, including by tracking your activity across websites. Businesses that sell or share your data are required to provide an option to opt-out through a link that says, “do not sell or share my personal information” or “your privacy choices.”
By focusing on these areas, you can assess a business’s information practices and the choices you would like to make with respect to your personal information.
3. Take Control of Cookies
Cookies are small files stored on your device by websites to track online behavior. While some cookies enhance your online experience (e.g., saving preferences or login details), others may track your activity across sites for advertising purposes. Here’s how to manage them:
- Customize cookie settings: Many websites allow you to accept or reject certain types of cookies. You can opt-out of non-essential cookies, like those for advertising.
- Clear cookies regularly: Deleting cookies can prevent long-term tracking, though you may lose saved preferences for frequently visited sites.
- CCPA Compliance: If a website fails to comply with its notice or opt-out obligations, you can file a complaint with the CPPA.
Learn More
This Data Privacy Week, take control of your data by using these tips and exploring the resources at privacy.ca.gov. Let’s make privacy a priority not just this week, but every day of the year.