Understanding CPRA: What is Personal Information?
The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) came into effect on January 1, 2020. This Act provides Californians with the right to know what personal information businesses are collecting about them and gives them the freedom to opt-out of its sale. The CCPA has made it necessary for businesses to scrutinize their data collection practices and revise them accordingly.
The CCPA applies to all businesses that collect or sell personal information of Californians, and the definition of personal information under CCPA is broader than what businesses might commonly understand as personal information. Let’s explore what qualifies as personal information under CCPA.
What is Personal Information?
Personal information under CCPA is defined as any data that can identify, relate to, describe, or be reasonably associated with a particular California resident or household. This includes but is not limited to:
– Name
– Email address
– Physical address
– IP address
– Social Security Number
– Driver’s license number
– Passport number
– Biometric information
– Employment information
– Professional or employment-related information
– Education information
– Geolocation data
Moreover, personal information could also include unique identifiers such as device identifiers, cookies, beacons, pixel tags, and other similar technologies that can identify a consumer’s device. Information from publicly available sources, collected for a specific purpose, or deidentified data, when re-identified, also falls under CCPA’s definition of personal information.
What Qualifies as ‘Sale’ of Personal Information?
According to CCPA, a sale means any exchange of personal information for some form of compensation or benefit. This includes not only monetary transactions but also disclosures or transfers made for advertising purposes. Therefore, any sharing of personal information with third-party advertisers, data brokers, or other businesses that process personal information on the business’s behalf, qualifies as the sale of personal information under CCPA. However, sharing personal information within the organization or with a service provider who processes the data only to provide services to the business is not considered a sale.
Why is Understanding Personal Information Important?
Understanding what constitutes personal information is crucial for businesses to comply with CCPA and protect Californians’ data privacy rights. Businesses must assess their data collection practices for the type of personal information they collect, the method of collection, purposes for which the information is used, and the third parties with whom they share this information. They must also provide Californians with the option to opt-out of the sale of their personal information and the right to delete their personal information upon request.
Conclusion
Personal information under CCPA is a broad category that includes several types of data that can identify, relate to, describe, or be linked with a particular California resident or household. As a result, businesses that collect or sell Californians’ personal information must ensure that they comply with CCPA regulations and adhere to strict data protection practices. Understanding what constitutes personal information is a critical prerequisite for businesses to prioritize data privacy and security.
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