What Florida’s New Digital Bill of Rights Means to You
Bottom Line: Tuesday Governor DeSantis signed the Technology Transparency bill into law. Florida’s new law, which is better known as Florida’s “Digital Bill of Rights”, is set to make sweeping changes to the ways technology companies are allowed to operate within our state. Effectively, rather than technology companies holding the upper hand, mandating data collection from you in order to use their products and services, you’re to be given the option for the amount of your data you’ll allow technology companies to use...among other reforms. In understanding what exactly this new law means to you, the answer is nothing yet for a while.
Given the law’s many mandates and demands for changes in the ways technology companies currently do business, the law doesn’t take effect until July 1st of next year (2024). There’s always the possibility companies comply sooner, however to date, we’ve heard more pushback from technology companies, than we have a willingness to comply ahead of schedule. As for what changes with the law and what it means to you...
Here are the key changes within the law, as laid out by the state you will retain the following rights over your data:
- The right to control personal data, including the right to confirm, access, and delete your personal data from a social platform;
- The right to know that your personal data will not be used against you when purchasing a home, obtaining health insurance, or being hired;
- The right to know how internet search engines create search results;
- The right to opt out of having personal data sold; and
- The right to protect children from personal data collection.
The state also notes that the legislation will:
- Add biometric and geolocation data to the definition of personal data which will be protected under this law
- Prevents state and local government employees from coordinating with technology companies on enforcement action against Floridians
It’s the most comprehensive set of online consumer protections in the country, and should the provisions survive potential legal challenges, which may be forthcoming, would significantly change the relationship we have with our personal data and the way technology companies operate within Florida.