California Attorney General Xavier Becerra recently reminded California residents that their privacy rights remain in force in the midst of the current pandemic. In an April 10 press release, Becerra provided an overview of consumer data rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and tips on how to protect those rights. The press release followed recent statements from the Attorney General’s Office rejecting industry calls to delay enforcement of the CCPA in light of the ongoing crisis, which we previously discussed here.

In addition to emphasizing key consumer rights under the CCPA, Becerra offered tips on how Californians’ can better protect their data privacy. He highlighted four particular areas of concern, including avoiding email scams, protecting virtual meetings, protecting home networks and protecting children online. Becerra noted that the current crisis is forcing Californians’ to “turn[] to mobile phones and computers as a lifeline,” and that, “[w]ith such a dependency on online connectivity, it is more important than ever for Californians to know their privacy rights.”

Becerra’s recent alert appears to support statements by his office of its intent to move forward with enforcement of the CCPA as of July 1, 2020. We will continue to cover updates on the CCPA on our blog.