California is a bellwether for privacy laws, which is why we’ve been watching carefully as recent events suggest that business-friendly interests may be gaining a foothold in what has historically been one of the most restrictive states in the country. Since the landmark California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) went into effect in 2020, interest groups, regulators, and politicians have been battling to impact the future of the statute and related regulations. Meanwhile, creative plaintiffs’ lawyers have turned their focus to the California Invasion of Privacy Act (“CIPA”) to argue that California’s eavesdropping statute also applies to online tracking technologies. But recent developments related to both the CIPA and the CCPA may give businesses reason for hope.
