A cell phone is repaired. (Photo: Andrey_PopovOPINION: Recently introduced legislation in the California Assembly (AB 2110), would require manufacturers to provide independent repair shops with the same parts, tools, software, and other information that they provide to their authorized repair shops for the repair of Internet-connected electronics – from smart phones to home appliances to toys to fire alarms.
As you are no doubt aware, we are sponsoring a privacy initiative to appear on the November 2018 California ballot, the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018. The measure would allow California consumers to protect their personal information from the type of breach that just occurred at Facebook.
Photo illustration of encrypted internet information and a keyboard. (Image: Alexander Yakimov, via Shutterstock)OPINION: In the California legislature, a privacy bill – The California Broadband Internet Privacy Act – was originally drafted, ironically enough, in private. Now, even though it has been amended multiple times, it still remains deeply troubling and will harm California’s consumers. The bill is an example of what most Californians hate about our state’s lawmaking process. It uses the “gut-and-amend” ploy, which means removing much or all of an original bill’s contents and replacing it with unrelated text,
A woman using wireless broadband launches an app on her tablet. (Photo: Daniel Krason, via Shutterstock) OPINION: California has a responsibility to get Internet policy right. The state’s ranking as the sixth largest economy understates its influence on the world’s innovation economy. One-third of global venture capital is invested in Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Los Angeles or San Diego. California is the test bed, launch pad and sand box for thousands of apps and Internet services which, if successful, are launched on the world.
An elderly patient in a wheelchair receiving care at a California hospital. (Photo: bikeriderlondon, via shutterstock)In 2008, outraged by a string of snooping incidents involving celebrities’ medical records, California legislators passed a groundbreaking law that compelled hospitals to quickly report patient privacy breaches and gave the state power to levy fines for such violations. But a ProPublica analysis of state data shows enforcement has been inconsistent.
A professionally operated drone heads into the sunset. (Photo: Concept W, Shutterstock)Drone bills are buzzing the Capitol and making a beeline for the governor’s desk. At least four measures to curb their use already have flown out of the Legislature with bipartisan support. A fifth, approved in the Senate, awaits action in the Assembly. The governor has not disclosed his position on any of the bills, the remnants of a dozen pieces of legislation that have targeted drones during the past two years.
OPINION: One of the next great areas of innovation is at risk because of SB 142, which would make it an offense to fly a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) over private property at an altitude of 350 feet or below – regardless of the reason – without the permission of each private property owner in the flight path.
A ride-sharing illustration. Photo: PP77LSK, via Shutterstock)It’s as if they can read your mind: Before customers even ask to be picked up, apps let Uber or Lyft know you’ll need them. That’s because personal data housed in smart phones tell ride-sharing companies when and where their customers most frequently need rides. It’s innovated the car-service industry, critics say, at the expense of users’ privacy.
OPINION: The Student Online Personal Information Protection Act (SOPIPA) solidifies California’s standing as a leader in crafting smart public policy that extends common sense protections for kids and families.
Jury selection began Tuesday in the case of a gun battle at the suburban Sacramento home of a state Senate sergeant that left one person dead and others injured.