Google, industry try to water down 1st US data-privacy law

Bloomberg

Google and its industry allies are making a late bid to water down the first major data-privacy law in the US, seeking to carve out exemptions for digital advertising, according to documents obtained by Bloomberg and people familiar with the negotiations.
A lobbyist for Google recently distributed new language to members of California’s state legislature that would amend the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
As currently drafted, the law limits how Google and other companies collect and make money from user data online, threatening a business model that generates billions of dollars in ad revenue. It’s due to kick in next year and there are only a few more days to amend the law.
The lobbying push seeks legislative approval to continue collecting user data for targeted advertising, and in some cases, the right to do so even if users opt out, according to the documents and the people familiar with the negotiations.
They asked not to be identified discussing private activities and to keep the lobbyist’s name confidential.
It’s unclear if the language circulating in the state capitol’s corridors was drafted by Google, and other lobbyists are likely asking for similar changes. Industry groups, such as the California Chamber of Commerce and the Internet Association, often help write legislation and have been the face of industry during two years of debate over the CCPA. It’s also common for interested parties to suggest late changes to bills.
“This is a jailbreak,” said California state Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson. “This blows up the entire purpose of the CCPA, which is for people to know when their information is being used and to give them the right to opt out.” A spokesman for Alphabet Inc.’s Google declined to comment.
One proposal shared by the lobbyist would let Google and others use data collected from websites for their own analysis, and then share it with other companies that may find it
useful. This includes firms that are not involved with the website in question. Currently, the CCPA prohibits the sale or distribution of user data if the
user has opted out, with limited exceptions.
Another change would loosen the definition of “business purpose” when it comes to selling or distributing user data. The law currently defines this narrowly and has a list of specific activities, such auditing and security, that will be allowed.
The CCPA is set to become the first data-privacy law in the US once enacted in 2020.