To My Fellow California Business Owners,

Navigating the complexities of running a small business is challenging enough without adding the ever-evolving landscape of data privacy into the mix. As your neighbor and cybersecurity partner at CK Cybersecurity, I want to cut through the noise and offer some straightforward, actionable advice to help you protect your business and your customers’ trust. In California, data privacy isn’t just good practice—it’s the law.

Understanding Your Obligations Under California Law

California has been at the forefront of data privacy in the U.S. with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and its successor, the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). These laws grant Californians significant control over their personal information.

Here’s the gist of what these laws mean for you: If your business collects personal information from California residents—and let’s be honest, nearly every business does—you have specific obligations. You’re on the hook if your business meets one of the following:

• Has annual gross revenues over $25 million.
• Buys, sells, or shares the personal information of 100,000 or more California residents or households.
• Derives 50% or more of your annual revenue from selling or sharing California residents’ personal information.

Even if you don’t meet these thresholds, adopting these best practices is a wise move that builds customer trust and prepares you for future growth.

Key Privacy Practices for Your Business

Here are some fundamental steps you can take to protect the data you handle and comply with California’s privacy laws:

• Know Your Data: You can’t protect what you don’t know you have. Start by creating an inventory of the personal information you collect, where it’s stored, and why you need it. This includes everything from names and email addresses to more sensitive data like geolocation or financial information.
• Practice Data Minimization: Only collect and retain the personal information that is absolutely necessary for your business purposes. The less data you have, the less risk you carry.
• Be Transparent with a Clear Privacy Policy: Your website needs a clear, easy-to-understand privacy policy. This policy should inform your customers about what data you collect, how you use it, and how they can exercise their privacy rights. Under California law, you must update this policy at least every 12 months.
• Empower Your Customers: California law gives consumers the right to know what information you have about them, the right to have it deleted, and the right to opt-out of the sale or sharing of their data. Make it easy for your customers to make these requests. This often involves a “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” link on your website.
• Secure Your Data: Implement reasonable security measures to protect the personal information you hold. This doesn’t mean you need a Fort Knox-level security system, but it does mean taking practical steps like using strong passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication, and encrypting sensitive data.
• Train Your Team: Your employees are your first line of defense. Ensure they understand their role in protecting customer data and are trained to recognize and respond to potential threats like phishing emails.
• Have an Incident Response Plan: In the unfortunate event of a data breach, you are required to notify affected California residents. Having a plan in place before a crisis occurs will allow you to respond quickly and effectively, which can mitigate the damage to both your customers and your reputation.

Protecting your customers’ privacy is not just about legal compliance; it’s about building and maintaining the trust that is the bedrock of any successful business. At CK Cybersecurity, I am here to help you navigate these challenges. Feel free to reach out to with any questions.

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For Further Reading

• California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) – State of California Department of Justice: https://oag.ca.gov/privacy/ccpa
• California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) – Comerica Bank: https://www.comerica.com/site-tools/resources/california-privacy-rights-act.html
• Data Security Breach Reporting – State of California Department of Justice: https://oag.ca.gov/privacy/databreach/reporting
• A California Business Privacy Handbook – California Office of Privacy Protection: https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/privacy/business_privacy_handbook.pdf
• CCPA Compliance: A Guide to California’s Data Privacy Law – Secureframe: https://secureframe.com/blog/ccpa-compliance