California state lawmakers on Thursday unanimously passed a data privacy bill aimed at giving consumers more control over how companies collect and manage their personal information, a bill that Google parent Alphabet Inc and other big companies have opposed.
Governor Jerry Brown has 12 days to sign the measure into law or veto it, though the legislature can override a veto with two-thirds support. Under the proposal, large companies, such as those with data on more than 50,000 people, would be required starting in 2020 to let consumers view the data they have collected on them, request deletion of data and opt out of having the data sold to third parties.
Each violation would carry a $7,500 fine. The law would apply only in California.
Google executives have warned that the measure could have unintended consequences but have not said what those might be. The Internet Association, which also represents Facebook Inc and Amazon.com Inc has also opposed the bill, as have the California Chamber of Commerce and the Association of National Advertisers.
CTIA, a wireless industry trade group, called on Congress to pass legislation instead.
“State-specific laws will stifle American innovation and confuse consumers,” CTIA said.
Ali Bay, the governor’s deputy press secretary, declined to comment. (Reporting by Paresh Dave; Editing by David Gregorio)
