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Online privacy tips by state
State privacy laws give residents some tools to control their data. Here's how to exercise your online privacy rights.
Every time we go online, companies are collecting data about us, like our web searches, browsing history, location and shopping habits. More than 80% of Americans are concerned how companies collect and use their data. And yet there are very few rules reining in what companies do with our information.
Right now, it’s on us to take steps to protect our data online. Unfortunately protecting your data privacy and security can be a time consuming and confusing process. None of us have the perfect tools to do it.
At the end of the day, our personal privacy and security will be at risk as long as companies can collect whatever data they want and do whatever they want with it. The most straightforward way to protect consumers would be writing rules that stop bad corporate data practices, and that don’t create more work for you in the process.
In the meantime, here’s how to better protect yourself and your data online.
Online privacy tips for everyone
No matter what state you live in, here are steps you can take to protect yourself. We recommend everyone – no matter if you live in a state with a privacy law or not – take time to put these protections in place for themselves.
5 steps you can take to protect your privacy now
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Online privacy tips by state
To date, 14 states have passed consumer data privacy laws. Unfortunately most of them are pretty poor when it comes to protecting your data. Here’s a round up of the privacy rights you do have for every state with a law.
Why lots of states are passing bad state privacy laws
California
What the California Consumer Privacy Act means for you
Connecticut
What the Connecticut Data Privacy Act means for you
Colorado
Delaware
What the Delaware Personal Data Privacy Act means for you
Indiana
What the Indiana Consumer Data Protection Act means for you
Iowa
What the Iowa Data Privacy Act means for you
Montana
What the Montana Consumer Data Privacy Act means for you
New Jersey
What the New Jersey Privacy Act means for you
Oregon
What the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act means for you
Tennessee
What the Tennessee Information Protection Act means for you
Texas
What the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act means for you
Utah
What the Utah Consumer Privacy Act means for you
Virginia
What the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act means for you
Social media privacy tips
How to request and download your Facebook data
Topics
Authors
Phoebe Normandia
Intern, Don't Sell My Data campaign
R.J. Cross
Director, Don't Sell My Data Campaign, U.S. PIRG Education Fund
R.J. focuses on data privacy issues and the commercialization of personal data in the digital age. Her work ranges from consumer harms like scams and data breaches, to manipulative targeted advertising, to keeping kids safe online. In her work at Frontier Group, she has authored research reports on government transparency, predatory auto lending and consumer debt. Her work has appeared in WIRED magazine, CBS Mornings and USA Today, among other outlets. When she’s not protecting the public interest, she is an avid reader, fiction writer and birder.
Find Out More
How to request and download your Amazon data
Is Alexa always listening? How to protect your data from Amazon
What the California Consumer Privacy Act means for you