A guide to CCPA cookie compliance

The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) is a groundbreaking privacy law that gives consumers in California the right to access, delete, or opt out of the sale of their personal information.  

It’s an important piece of legislation because it increases transparency and requires businesses to be more accountable when handling customer data. This law is extremely relevant for companies doing business with customers in California, as they must adhere to additional regulations and comply with CCPA requirements.

The 4 steps to achieve cookie compliance under CCPA 

1. Review your cookies and collected data

The first step is to review all cookies that you are using on your website and any other data points collected through third-party services. You should identify what type of information each cookie collects, and how it is used. This will help you determine what needs to be done to comply with the CCPA’s notice requirements.  

2. Manage user consent for cookies

Once you have identified which cookies need consent from users, you can set up a consent management system that allows users to provide clear affirmative consent before any non-essential cookies are deployed on their device. This includes providing an appropriate disclosure explaining what cookies are being used and how they will be used.  

3. Provide an easy opt-out process

The CCPA requires businesses to provide users with a simple way to opt-out of non-essential cookie tracking on their device. This typically involves providing an option for users to withdraw their consent or disable the use of certain cookies at any time. 

4. Audit your systems regularly

It is important that you regularly audit your website’s cookie compliance processes to make sure that all requirements are being met. This should include reviewing all third party services that may place cookies on user devices and making sure users have properly consented before these cookies are deployed. By auditing your systems regularly, you can ensure that your website remains compliant with the CCPA.  

As you can see, achieving cookie compliance under the CCPA involves several steps and requires careful adherence to the regulations in order to remain compliant. Following these steps will help keep your website in compliance so that both users and businesses are protected.  

The risks of non-cookie compliance under CCPA

Under the CCPA, failure to properly implement cookie compliance could result in significant fines.  

The CCPA has a private right of action that allows individuals to collect up to $750 per violation if their privacy rights are violated or their data is misused.

Additionally, any business found to be in willful non-compliance with the CCPA may be subject to administrative or civil fines of up to $7,500 for each violation.

Therefore, it is essential that organizations comply with the CCPA and ensure their use of cookies meets all requirements set forth by the law.

What are the benefits of cookie compliance under CCPA

Cookie compliance under CCPA can provide a number of benefits, including:  

• Increased customer trust and loyalty by demonstrating that you are taking measures to protect their data. 
• A reduction in legal risks associated with non-compliance. 
• Easier access to targeted marketing opportunities, as cookie technology can give companies a better understanding of their customers’ preferences. 
• Improved website performance and visitor engagement, since cookies allow pages to load faster by retaining key information from previous visits.