Penalty Amount
$69,800
The California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) settled with data brokers Growbots, Inc. and UpLead LLC for failing to register and pay annual fees under the California Delete Act. Growbots paid $35,400 and UpLead paid $34,400, and both agreed to injunctive terms including payment of attorney fees for non-compliance. This action enforces the Delete Act's requirements for data broker transparency and consumer privacy.
The companies must pay the specified fines and comply with injunctive terms that require adherence to the Delete Act and payment of the Enforcement Division's attorney fees if future non-compliance occurs.
In-house legal teams should review all vendor, customer, and data processing agreements with entities classified as data brokers under California law. Specifically scrutinize clauses addressing: (1) registration and fee payment obligations under the California Delete Act; (2) compliance with statutory deadlines and reporting requirements; (3) injunctive relief and attorney fee shifting provisions for non-compliance; and (4) obligations related to consumer deletion requests via the Data Broker Requests and Opt-Out Platform (DROP). Agreements may need amendments to explicitly mandate Delete Act registration, annual fee responsibility, and cooperation with DROP, while also allocating costs for enforcement actions and attorney fees.
Entity
Growbots, Inc. and UpLead LLC
Also known as: Growbots and UpLead
Industry
Data Broker$376K
The California Privacy Protection Agency settled with Ford Motor Company for $375,703 after finding that Ford violated the CCPA by requiring email verification for opt-out requests, creating unnecessary friction. Ford must implement easier opt-out methods, conduct a website audit, and comply with global privacy controls.
$1.1M
The California Privacy Protection Agency settled with PlayOn Sports for $1.10 million over CCPA violations, including failing to provide adequate opt-out mechanisms and improperly tracking users, particularly students. The company must implement proper opt-out methods, improve disclosures, and comply with children's data consent requirements.
$45K
Datamasters, a data broker, failed to register with the California Data Broker Registry as required by the Delete Act. The company sold sensitive personal information including health conditions, age, race, and political views. As a result, it must pay a $45,000 fine and cease all sales of Californians' personal information.
$57K
The California Privacy Protection Agency fined ROR Partners LLC $56,600 for failing to register as a data broker under the Delete Act. The marketing firm sold custom audience lists built from consumer data without registration, highlighting that businesses collecting and selling personal information must comply with data broker requirements.
The California Privacy Protection Agency (CalPrivacy) announced the creation of a Data Broker Enforcement Strike Force to investigate privacy violations by data brokers. The strike force will focus on compliance with the Delete Act's registration requirement and the CCPA, building on previous enforcement actions. This initiative aims to hold data brokers accountable and protect Californians' personal information.
$1.4M
The California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) settled with Tractor Supply Company for $1.35 million over violations of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The violations included failing to maintain a proper privacy policy, not notifying job applicants of their rights, lacking an effective opt-out mechanism, and sharing personal information without adequate contracts. Tractor Supply must pay the fine and implement remedial measures such as scanning digital properties and annual compliance certification.