This month, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law five new privacy bills that the Governor said are intended to strengthen data protections for the state’s residents. The laws, effective as of January 1, 2016, implement California’s Electronic Communications Privacy Act and amend the state’s breach notification statute, among other things.

In this post, our Data Protection, Privacy & Cybersecurity team members discuss these new laws and what they mean for companies.

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The proliferation of data gives rise to two challenges:

  • Companies need to manage the vast amounts of data they now control and turn it to useful purposes.
  • The availability of so much data has been an ideal environment for an explosion of various forms of cybercrime.

The South African Cybercrimes and Cybersecurity Bill expands on the original sections of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, 2002 (ECTA) with the creation of 20 new cybercrime offences.  This illustrates the extent to which technology is being used for unlawful purposes and the need to protect yourself in your activities online.  Comments on the Bill are due by Monday, 30 November 2015.