Today, Consumer Reports (CR) and researchers from Wesleyan University released findings from a joint study that examines how companies are complying with opt-out requests sent by universal opt-out mechanisms, such as Global Privacy Control (GPC).
Universal opt-out mechanisms, such as GPC, allow consumers to restrict companies from selling or sharing their personal data for targeted advertising and are in many ways the core consumer protection under current state comprehensive privacy laws. As it stands, 19 states have comprehensive state privacy laws, making up approximately 43 percent of the country’s population.
The study examined 40 online retailers and found that many of them appear to be ignoring opt-out requests under state privacy laws. 12 (30 percent) appeared to be serving retargeted advertisements on other websites despite receiving GPC opt-out requests. In practical terms, this means that in some cases consumers’ personal data may be sold or shared with third parties even when they’ve taken the appropriate steps to protect themselves.
This study highlights the need for more aggressive enforcement of existing privacy laws. The report also underscores that state attorneys general need more resources to enforce these laws, and that individuals harmed by privacy violations should have the right to take action through a private right of action.
For more details, read the full report here.
