What It Takes to Build Privacy Infrastructure at the State Level: Tom Kemp on California's DROP System
Summary
Techlore Talks host Henry discusses California’s DROP system with Tom Kemp, Executive Director of the California Privacy Protection Agency. They explain how this free, government-run platform allows residents to permanently remove their data from over 600 brokers in one step, addressing the inefficiency of manual opt-outs. The episode covers the technical security measures, such as hashed data matching, and compares DROP to paid privacy services and European GDPR regulations.
Topics discussed
Introduction and guest Tom Kemp from CalPrivacy
Tom Kemp's background and role at CPPA
The problem with opt-out systems and consumer burden
History of CCPA, Prop 24, and the creation of CPPA
Global Privacy Control (GPC) and browser regulations
Introduction to the DROP system and data broker registry
How DROP works: Mass deletion and suppression lists
DROP is free, funded by data brokers, not taxpayers
Comparison with third-party paid privacy tools
Who needs DROP and defense-in-depth privacy strategy
Technical security: Hashing, verification, and data privacy
Data broker matching process and updating profiles
Data broker enforcement and industry pushback
Why data brokers aren't banned and the LEAD Act
Advocating for similar laws in other states and countries
Barriers to federal privacy legislation
Consumer advocacy and filing complaints with agencies
Conclusion and resources for listeners
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