CDT Supports SB-327 Information Privacy – Connected Devices

Dear Chair Jackson:

The Center for Democracy & Technology is a nonprofit technology advocacy organization that works to advance digital rights for consumers through balanced technology policy, corporate policies, and technological tools. We support Senate Bill 327, which mandates certain security features and privacy disclosures for connected devices sold in California. The bill is a critical step towards imbuing Internet of Things (IoT) devices with reasonable privacy and security protections.

Internet connectivity in everyday consumer products has become commonplace. Today, products ranging from household appliances to children’s toys collect and broadcast personal data. Though estimates vary widely, the number of devices constituting the IoT will likely exceed twenty billion worldwide by the end of the decade. Many of these devices possess robust data collection and surveillance capabilities that defy consumer expectations and create security vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers.