Sacramento, CA — Consumer Reports announced its support today for AB 3048, a bill that would require browsers and devices to offer consumers the ability to exercise their privacy preferences through opt-out preference signals.
“California is yet again leading the way on innovative new legislation to advance digital rights. Consumer Reports applauds Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal for introducing AB 3048, which will make it easier for consumers to exercise their data rights in California by requiring browsers and devices to allow consumers to exercise their opt-out rights in a single step. This bill builds off of two landmark privacy laws, the California Consumer Privacy Act and the Delete Act. While these are both foundational laws for California residents, AB 3048 will remedy the fact that major browsers don’t currently provide a straightforward way for consumers to use their universal opt-out rights, ” said Matt Schwartz, policy analyst for privacy and technology policy at Consumer Reports.
CR has long been an advocate for the data rights of consumers and supported the California Consumer Privacy Act and the Delete Act. CR is a founding organization of the Global Privacy Control, a browser-level privacy signal designed to allow Internet users to notify businesses of their preference to not have their data be sold or shared, or used for cross-context behavioral advertising. GPC has been recognized by privacy regulators in California and Colorado as a legally-binding opt-out signal under those states’ comprehensive privacy laws. CR is also working on technical solutions to further empower consumers to take control of their data, including a new free app called Permission Slip.
Contact: Cyrus Rassool, cyrus.rassool@consumer.org