Attorney General Bonta Announces Investigative Sweep, Focuses on Streaming Services’ Compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act

OAKLAND – Ahead of Data Privacy Day, California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced an investigative sweep, and is sending letters to businesses with popular streaming apps and devices alleging that they fail to comply with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Specifically, this year’s sweep focuses on the compliance of streaming services with CCPA’s opt-out requirements for businesses that sell or share consumer personal information, including those that do not offer an easy mechanism for consumers who want to stop the sale of their data. 

“From watching live sporting events to blockbuster movies, families increasingly use streaming platforms for entertainment, and we must make sure that their personal information is protected. California was the first state in the nation to give consumers the legal right to tell businesses, don’t sell my data. Today, we are taking a close look at how these streaming services are complying with requirements that have been in place since 2020,” said Attorney General Bonta. “This Data Privacy Day, I urge consumers to learn about and exercise their rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act, especially the right to tell these businesses to stop selling their personal information.”

The California Consumer Privacy Act is a landmark law that secures increased privacy rights for California consumers, such as the right to know how businesses collect, share, and disclose their personal information. Businesses that are subject to the CCPA have specific responsibilities, including responding to consumer requests to exercise these rights and giving consumers certain notices explaining their privacy practices. 

Under the CCPA’s right to opt out, businesses that sell personal data or share personal information for targeted advertising must permit consumers the right to opt-out. Exercising this right should be easy and involve minimal steps. For example, consumers that are using a SmartTV should be able to navigate to the settings menu in a streaming service’s mobile app and enable the service’s “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” setting. Consumers should also be able to have this choice honored across different devices if they are logged into their account when they send their opt-out request. And, consumers should be able to easily encounter a streaming service’s privacy policy that discusses their CCPA rights. 

Attorney General Bonta is committed to the robust enforcement of the nation’s toughest data privacy law. In August 2022, the Attorney General announced a settlement with Sephora resolving allegations that it failed to disclose to consumers that it was selling their personal information and failed to process opt-out requests via user-enabled global privacy controls in violation of the CCPA.  For more information about the CCPA, visit www.oag.ca.gov/ccpa. To report a violation of the CCPA to the Attorney General, consumers can submit a complaint online at www.oag.ca.gov/report.