California passes strictest online privacy law in the country

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KTVU) - When it comes to your online privacy, California has just passed the strictest law in the country.
It's meant to give consumers more information and control over their own data.

Tech analyst Larry Magid says, "It is appropriate that California should be the leader when it comes to privacy since we're also the leader when it comes to taking away people's privacy."

Part of the law focuses on transparency, letting people know who is accessing what information and why.
It also allows the consumer to transfer or delete data, and in some cases even opt out of having their information sold, for a fee.

Magid says that may raise a red flag, "When it comes to information they collect about you, I'm not sure that should be something people pay their way out of. It seems to be a fundamental right that you control information about you."

Still consumers say they are glad some action is being taken and hope other states follow suit.

Erik Rousell in San Jose says, "Because I'm older, I'm not part of the generation that puts everything on the internet, but there's a lot of information out there. It's good that we're setting the line on where it goes and what we have access too because this is the Silicon Valley, we set the trends on what happens."

The legislation itself came together quickly, as a way to preempt a November ballot issue lawmakers feared was overly broad.

And while most large tech companies say they support it, they believe the law needs work. 

In a statement, Google spokesperson Katherine Williams says, "...it came together under extreme time pressure and imposes sweeping novel obligations on thousands of large and small businesses around the world, across every industry."

And Facebook VP of State and Local Public Policy, Will Castleberry, released a statement saying the legislation is not perfect but they, "look forward to working with policymakers on an approach that protects consumers and promotes responsible innovation."

And it is likely, once consumers and companies get a closer look at this law, that there will be changes made before it takes effect in 2020.