1798.121. Consumers’ Right to Limit Use and Disclosure of Sensitive Personal Information

1798.121.  Consumers’ Right to Limit Use and Disclosure of Sensitive Personal Information

(a)  A consumer shall have the right, at any time, to direct a business that collects sensitive personal information about the consumer to limit its use of the consumer’s sensitive personal information to that use which is necessary to perform the services or provide the goods reasonably expected by an average consumer who requests those goods or services, to perform the services set forth in paragraphs (2), (4), (5), and (8) of subdivision (e) of Section 1798.140, and as authorized by regulations adopted pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (19) of subdivision (a) of Section 1798.185. A business that uses or discloses a consumer’s sensitive personal information for purposes other than those specified in this subdivision shall provide notice to consumers, pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 1798.135, that this information may be used, or disclosed to a service provider or contractor, for additional, specified purposes and that consumers have the right to limit the use or disclosure of their sensitive personal information

(b)  A business that has received direction from a consumer not to use or disclose the consumer’s sensitive personal information, except as authorized by subdivision (a), shall be prohibited, pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (c) of Section 1798.135, from using or disclosing the consumer’s sensitive personal information for any other purpose after its receipt of the consumer’s direction unless the consumer subsequently provides consent for the use or disclosure of the consumer’s sensitive personal information for additional purposes.

(c)  A service provider or contractor that assists a business in performing the purposes authorized by subdivision (a) may not use the sensitive personal information after it has received instructions from the business and to the extent it has actual knowledge that the personal information is sensitive personal information for any other purpose. A service provider or contractor is only required to limit its use of sensitive personal information received pursuant to a written contract with the business in response to instructions from the business and only with respect to its relationship with that business.

(d)  Sensitive personal information that is collected or processed without the purpose of inferring characteristics about a consumer is not subject to this section, as further defined in regulations adopted pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (19) of subdivision (a) of Section 1798.185, and shall be treated as personal information for purposes of all other sections of this act, including Section 1798.100.

(Added November 3, 2020, by initiative Proposition 24, Sec. 10. Effective December 16, 2020. Operative January 1, 2023, pursuant to Sec. 31 of Proposition 24.)