What are the laws concerning online advertising and user tracking?

In Washington state, the laws regarding online advertising and user tracking, also known as “data privacy”, are found under the state’s consumer protection act. The act provides users with important protections against companies using their personal information without their knowledge or permission. It also outlines certain requirements for companies to follow when collecting and using consumer data. Under the law, companies must include a conspicuous link or privacy policy on their websites that outlines the types of information being collected and how it is used. They must also notify users about any changes to the policy and allow users to opt-out of having their information collected and shared. The law further requires companies to obtain explicit, informed consent from users before collecting and using data that is considered “sensitive”. Sensitive data includes information related to a user’s race, religion, health, sexual orientation, and more. Companies must also take reasonable steps to protect any collected data from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. Finally, the law requires companies to provide users with access to the data that has been collected, to respond to users’ requests to delete data, and to provide users with a copy of the data in a common machine-readable format. It is important for users to know that these regulations apply to any company running online advertising or collecting user information, even if the company is located outside of Washington state.

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