California Attorney General (“AG”) Xavier Becerra recently issued an alert emphasizing the rights of California consumers under the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The alert follows media reports that the AG’s office is “committed to enforcing the law upon finalizing the rules or [by] July 1, whichever comes first,” even with the “new reality created by COVID-19.”

The alert notes that under the CCPA, consumers have the right to order businesses to not sell their personal information, delete the personal information businesses have collected about them, and request that the businesses provide details regarding the personal information they have collected, used, shared or sold.

The alert also provides tips regarding data privacy and security during COVID-19, recommending that consumers:

• Stay vigilant for phishing emails and not click links or open attachments in any suspicious emails;
• Protect virtual meetings by keeping meeting IDs private and screening participants;
• Secure home networks by updating software and applications, and only using password-protected networks; and
• Protect children’s privacy by monitoring their online activity.