California is home to many companies that manufacture technology products. If you own or work for one of these companies, you may want to educate yourself about the laws that oversee some of these items, especially when it comes to security of personal information.
As explained by the National Conference of State Legislatures, in 2017, California saw a total of nine bills relating to cybersecurity introduced into the state legislature. One of those bills was vetoed by the Governor and one that required disclosure of costs for internet technology security was passed. The remaining seven are still pending. One of these, Senate Bill 327, puts a hefty responsibility on hardware manufacturers.
If passed, this bill would mandate that all products capable of connecting to the web ensure disclosure to consumers about the collection of any and all personal information prior to that information being collected. If a consumer does not consent to such collection, the data may not be captured. Additionally, all products with web connection capabilities must include inherent security features to guard against any unintended modifications, access, use or distribution. It is not clear how hardware companies may be held responsible for the actions of others once a product is sold.
If you would like to learn more about the types of laws that are in place regarding cybersecurity and where to get help if you or your company are accused of breaking one of these laws, please feel free to visit the cybersecurity defense page of our California white collar criminal defense website.