Startups and the CCPA – Four Key Considerations

CCPA enforcement has begun in earnest, survey found that a shockingly large percentage of companies were not prepared for the  California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) and its July 1, 2020 enforcement date. Startups often mistakenly believe they’re not subject to CCPA because they don’t meet the $25 million annual revenue threshold, however they may be in scope based on other metrics. If your startup hasn’t completed its CCPA compliance, you should:

1. Update and publicize (at a minimum, on your website) your privacy policy. Make sure your updates are consistent with CCPA requirements as they differ from GDPR and other data privacy regulations. 
2. Review your data security and privacy protocols to ensure they’re reasonable per CCPA requirements.
3. Provide a mechanism for consumers to make  data subject access requests and opt out of the sale of their personal information.
4. Prepare for privacy rules in other jurisdictions where you are or plan to do business (e.g., New York, Europe, Brazil, or other region).

Getting out in front of data privacy early in a startup’s lifecycle will enable the company’s ability to manage compliance in a scalable and effective way as the company grows. If you’re using Microsoft Office documents (or worse) to manage compliance, you’ll quickly find that these tools aren’t up to the task. And your investors (or potential investors) won’t be happy with this kind of approach. Due diligence reviews now typically include an evaluation of a company’s data privacy and protection protocols. This makes sense given the potential risk of noncompliance and the associated financial penalties that could cripple even the  most revered of startups.

If your employees (or contractors) are working from home (and who isn’t nowadays?), the danger of an unintentional breach of data privacy by an employee or agent, theft of data or cyber-attack, has never been higher. Make sure you’re implementing appropriate protocols to manage this shift in workforce approach.

The financial penalties of noncompliance can be severe, and cripple a startup from both a penalty and financial resource perspective. Startups need to focus on growing their business, which is why Clym provides you with a cost-effective, scalable and flexible platform, that comes with plans starting at just $49/month (updated January 2024).

How can Clym help with CCPA compliance?

Clym believes in striking a balance between digital compliance and your business needs, which is why we offer businesses the following:

• All-in-one platform: One interface combining Privacy and Accessibility compliance with global regulations, at an affordable price;
• Seamless integration into your website;
• Adaptability to your users’ location and applicable regulation;
• Customizable branding;
• ReadyCompliance™: Covering 30+ data privacy regulations;
• Six preconfigured accessibility profiles, as well as 25+ display adjustments that allow visitors to customise their individual experience.

You can convince yourself and see Clym in action by booking a demo or reaching out to us to discuss your specific needs today.