Triumphs, Challenges, and Tangles in the California Legislature 2024

California has concluded its 2024 legislative session, leaving a balance of significant advances and challenges in the field of digital rights. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has been vigilant throughout the process, monitoring nearly 100 privacy, freedom of speech, and innovation-related bills.

Among the most relevant achievements is the rejection of four bills that would have posed serious threats to consumer privacy. Measures A.B. 3080, A.B. 1814, S.B. 1076, and S.B. 1047 were halted before advancing in the legislative process. In particular, A.B. 3080, known as the “Parental Responsibility and Child Protection Act,” sought to impose age verification on pornographic websites. This project could have compromised access to legitimate content, especially for LGBTQ+ youth, which is why the EFF celebrated its rejection.

Similarly, A.B. 1814 proposed an expansion in the use of facial recognition software by police, allowing the use of surveillance database images to issue arrest warrants. However, criticisms and evidence that this technology can lead to wrongful detentions contributed to its legislative failure.

On the other hand, S.B. 1076 aimed to modify California’s Data Deletion Law, raising concerns from consumer rights organizations. The intention was to change current legislation, allowing consumers to request the deletion of personal data from data brokers. It was ultimately discarded due to the confusion it would have generated.

One project that sparked a great deal of discussion was S.B. 1047, an attempt to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) models. Although Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed the measure, the EFF maintains that current AI harms should be addressed instead of focusing on hypothetical scenarios.

However, not all projects resulted in victories for privacy advocates. A.B. 3048, which sought to have web browsers help consumers exercise their rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), was vetoed. The lack of support from mobile operators was the main reason for not advancing this legislation, which promised to improve the protection of personal data.

In addition, several approved bills, including A.B. 518 and A.B. 2723, weakened privacy protections by authorizing the sharing of personal information without restrictions, raising concerns about the mishandling of sensitive data.

The EFF has announced its commitment to prioritize these issues in the next legislative session of 2025, emphasizing the importance of having stronger local protections. The fight for digital rights continues, and the organization calls on citizens to stay active and demanding with their representatives in order to ensure privacy in the current digital environment.

Referrer: MiMub in Spanish

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