Connecticut Becomes 5th State To Pass Law Protecting Data Privacy

We're all very familiar with that horrible feeling, when you innocently search or show an interest in an item, destination, or whatever, and five minutes later, the robo-calls start. "Hi Mr. Baltrush, we noticed that you're interested in...." or, you get 125 item-related spam e-mails in your inbox the next 24 hours. It sucks.

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Multiple companies are collecting every keystroke, click, and view that you do online, and selling that information to other companies, and for a long time, there really wasn't much that we could do about it. Where is it collected? What are they collecting? That was then, this is 2022. Privacy is a growing concern in every facet of everyday life. As far as what data these companies are collecting, and what they were doing with it, has always been kept from public view.

Today, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has announced that he has signed Public Act 22-15 into law, effective July 1, 2023. It's an Act concerning personal data privacy, and online monitoring. and it was written to:

Establish (1) - (A) a framework for controlling and processing personal data, and (B) responsibilities and privacy protections standards for data controllers and processors; and (2) - grant consumers the right to (A) access, correct, delete, and obtain a copy of personal data, and (B) opt out of the processing of personal data for the purposes of (i) targeted advertising (ii) certain sales of personal data, or (iii) profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects concerning consumers.

If you have an iPhone or Apple product like I do, or any brand of mobile phone really, you're probably aware of all the warning signs that show up on websites and the pop-ups that say 'Hey, do you really want to give them your name and address? etc.'. Connecticut is joining California, Colorado, Utah, and Virginia in enacting this type of data privacy law.

Connecticut's Public Act 22-15 will require companies to publicly share a privacy policy that what data is being collected from us, how it's being used, and give us an option to opt out. The new law will also protect kids under 16, who will have to provide their consent for data collection.

Identity theft is no joke, and there are massive data breaches every day. Thanks for that extra layer of legislative protection Connecticut. Hopefully I won't pull into my driveway tonight and be met with a truckload of hucksters selling their snake oil.