States Fight Over How Our Data Is Tracked And Sold Online, As Congress Stalls
New laws in California and Virginia represent vastly different approaches to how personal data is collected online and sold. Many other states are considering their own legislation.
With Congress stalled on federal legislation to regulate how personal data is tracked and sold online, the fight over the future of data privacy has moved to state capitals.
Only two states, California and Virginia, have passed laws to give people more control over how technology companies mine personal details and online behavior, each bringing vastly different protections for users.
California's law gives people the right to tell companies to stop tracking them and to delete data that has already been gathered and even, in certain cases, sue companies over data breaches. Privacy advocates consider it a strong consumer shield.
The in Virginia gives
