Episode 64: Tom Kemp of CalPrivacy discusses the DROP & Public Policy Goals

Alan Chapell is joined by Tom Kemp, the Executive Director of California's privacy regulator CalPrivacy, to discuss the launch of the DROP data deletion mechanism and California’s rules regarding the Global Privacy Control. While complimentary of California's efforts, Alan attempts to uplevel the discussion to talk more broadly about the larger public policy goals driving California's privacy regime.

Tom Kemp's Bio: https://cppa.ca.gov/about_us/

Tom Kemp's Article: https://www.techpolicy.press/lets-make-privacy-easy/

Chapell Regulatory Insider: https://chapellreport.substack.com/

Takeaways

• CalPrivacy is the first independent agency focused on consumer privacy.
• The DROP system allows Californians to manage their privacy rights easily.
• Over 200,000 Californians signed up for the DROP system within a month of launch.
• Consumers are increasingly interested in privacy protections.
• The agency is addressing privacy harms, especially for vulnerable communities.
• Collaboration with other states is on the table a priority for CalPrivacy - particularly re: the DROP.
• Transparency in data practices is essential for consumer trust.
• The agency aims to balance innovation with privacy regulations.
• Authorized agents play a crucial role in helping consumers exercise their rights.
• Future regulations will focus on reducing friction for consumers. 
• Alan shares his thoughts on how CalPrivacy can better align its stated policy goals with outcomes

Chapters

00:01 Intro and where Tom is calling from

01:04 What CalPrivacy is and Tom’s role

03:33 Why he took the job and his background

06:18 What’s still on the roadmap from “Let’s Make Privacy Easy”

08:18 What DROP is and how it works

11:05 Early adoption: 200,000+ signups

14:26 Privacy paradox and why “making it easy” matters

17:39 Other states showing interest in a DELETE Act model

20:41 Whether DROP could expand beyond California

23:04 Privacy harms and enforcement focus areas

31:14 Opt out preference signals (GPC/OOPS) and how they fit

37:11 Browser conflicts of interest and potential OOPS regs

41:23 Authorized agents and possible additional regulation

45:57 Defining “data broker” and who must register

54:57 Where to find CalPrivacy resources and closing

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