Lawmakers have passed the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act, aimed at giving consumers more knowledge and control over how their private data is used.
Gov. Tina Kotek signed Senate Bill 619 into law July 18 after it received widespread bipartisan support in the legislature.
The new law establishes rights for consumers and sets limits on how businesses and nonprofits can collect, use and share private data. The new provisions include:
Right to Know: Consumers have the right to know who is processing their data and who their data is being shared with, and can request copies of the data being processed.
Right to Data Portability: Requests for data must be fulfilled in a format that is easily transferred between persons.
Right to Correction: Consumers have the right to correct inaccuracies in their data.
Right to Deletion: Consumers have the right to have their data deleted if it is collected.
Right to Opt Out: Consumers can opt out of having their data processed for targeted ads, or being used to determine outcomes of applications for home loans, college admissions, insurance, employment or similar decisions of legal significance.
Sensitive Data Protection: Processors must obtain consent before collecting or using personal data that details a consumer’s race, ethnicity, national origin, religious beliefs, medical diagnoses, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a victim of crime, citizenship or immigration status, and biometric information.
Special Protections for Youth: Parents and guardians can exercise these rights on behalf of children. The data of consumers 13 and younger must be handled according to the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, while opt-in consent is required for targeted ads or the sale of data for consumers between 13 and 15.
In a press release, Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said the new law takes a comprehensive approach to consumer protections and holds companies to a high standard of accountability.
“This is a huge win for Oregonians and sets a high-water mark for consumer data privacy nationwide,” she said.
– Stephen Floyd
