New California Laws Target Technology, Digital Privacy

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

By Maureen Cavanaugh, Patty Lane, Peggy Pico

Evening Edition host Peggy Pico speak with Art Neill, executive director of the California Western School of Law's New Media Rights Program about the new electronic regulation in California.

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Privacy rights and civil liberties advocates are highlighting new laws signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, including one that is being touted by Wired Magazine as the nation's best digital privacy law.

Officers will need a court order before they are allowed to search for messages, photos and other digital data stored on phones or company servers in the state, under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act. The law goes into effect on Jan. 1.

Dave Maass, investigative researcher for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said the law caters to today's digital world.

"Our digital privacy laws (at the federal level) were crafted in the 80s. Those laws don't really protect us in 2015," Maass told KPBS Midday Edition on Tuesday. "This law brings it all up-to-date."

Maass said the law essentially requires warrants to obtain certain information.

There are other new laws aimed at stopping drones from taking pictures or recording people at their homes, and alerting consumers that their Smart TV may be listening to their conversations.

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