Governor Newsom signs data privacy bills to protect tech users
News
Oct 8, 2025
# Governor Newsom signs data privacy bills to protect tech users
**What you need to know:** Governor Newsom signed AB 656, which requires social media companies to make it clear and easy for a user to delete their account – and requires that deletion also trigger full deletion of the user’s personal data. This law builds on the administration’s prior work to protect consumers and their privacy.
SACRAMENTO – Today, as San Francisco Tech Week 2025 continues, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 656 by Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Santa Clarita), requiring social media companies to make canceling an account straightforward and clear – and ensuring that cancellation triggers full deletion of the user’s personal data. The Governor also signed additional laws to help strengthen California’s landmark privacy protections and ensure that consumers have transparent and fair ways to control their own data.
#### “It shouldn’t be hard to delete social media accounts, and it shouldn’t be even harder to take back control of personal data. With these bills, social media users can be assured that when they delete their accounts, they do not leave their data behind.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
“Social media users deserve to have the confidence that they can easily delete their account and when they do that their personal information is deleted too,”**said Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo.** “I’m grateful that with the signing of AB 656, California is putting consumers first.”
These laws build on the Governor’s prior work to protect consumers and their privacy. That includes **last year’s** Click to Cancel bill, AB 2863 by Assemblymember Schiavo, that made it easier to cancel subscriptions, and 2023’s SB 362 by Senator Josh Becker, the DELETE Act, which, beginning in August 2026, will allow Californians to delete all of their data held by data brokers through a single interface.
## Giving consumers more control of their data
Governor Newsom also signed two additional bills to help consumers maintain better control of their data:
* SB 361 by Senator Josh Becker, which strengthens the Data Broker Registration Law by providing consumers with more information about the personal information collected by data brokers and who may have access to consumers’ data.
* AB 566 by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, which helps consumers exercise their opt-out rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act by requiring browsers to include a setting to send websites an opt-out preference signal to enable Californians to opt out of third-party sales of their data at one time instead of on each individual website.
## **Strengthening consumer protection**
**Other consumer protection bills** signed this year include legislation to strengthen the authority of the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, thereby helping fill the void left by the Trump administration’s weakening of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; to protect car buyers from being sold unnecessary add-ons; and to ensure state antitrust law can address pricing algorithms, among other laws to keep services and products affordable and fair.
In November 2020, voters approved the California Privacy Rights Act that added new privacy protections to the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, and established a new agency, the **California Privacy Protection Agency** (CPPA), to implement and enforce the laws.
Economy, Press releases, Recent news
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## Governor Newsom signs legislation 10.7.25
Oct 7, 2025
News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that he has signed the following bills: AB 42 by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) – CalWORKs: CalFresh: eligibility: income and resource exclusions. AB 43 by Assemblymember Nick Schultz (D-Burbank) –...
News
Oct 8, 2025
# Governor Newsom signs data privacy bills to protect tech users
**What you need to know:** The passage of Proposition 1 by California voters adds rocket fuel to Governor Gavin Newsom’s transformational overhaul of the state’s behavioral health system. These reforms refocus existing funds to prioritize Californians with the most serious mental health and substance use issues, who are too often experiencing homelessness. They also fund more than 11,150 new behavioral health beds and supportive housing units and 26,700 outpatient treatment slots.
**Los Angeles, California** – California took a major step forward in correcting the damage from 50 years of neglect to the state’s mental health system with the passage of Proposition 1. This historic measure — a signature priority of Governor Gavin Newsom — adds rocket fuel to California’s overhaul of the state’s behavioral health systems. It provides a full range of mental health and substance abuse care, with new accountability metrics to ensure local governments deliver for their communities.
This is the biggest reform of the California mental health system in decades and will finally equip partners to deliver the results all Californians need and deserve. Treatment centers will prioritize mental health and substance use support in the community like never before. Now, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and begin implementing this critical reform – working closely with city and county leaders to ensure we see results.
Governor Gavin Newsom
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**What they’re saying:**
* Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, original author of the Mental Health Services Act: “Twenty years ago, I never could have dreamed that we would have the strong leadership we have today, committing billions and making courageous policy changes that question the conventional wisdom on mental health. Now, with the passage of Proposition 1. California is delivering on decades old promises to help people living with brain-based illnesses, to live better lives, to live independently and to live with dignity in our communities. This is a historic moment and the hard work is ahead of us.“
* Senator Susan Eggman (D-Stockton), author of Senate Bill 326: “Today marks a day of hope for thousands of Californians who are struggling with mental illness – many of whom are living unhoused. I am tremendously grateful to my fellow Californian’s for passing this important measure. And I am very appreciative of this Governor’s leadership to transform our behavioral health care system!”
* Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks), author of Assembly Bill 531: “This started as an audacious proposal to address the root cause of homelessness and today, Californians can be proud to know that they did the right thing by passing Proposition 1. Now, it’s time for all of us to get to work, and make sure these reforms are implemented and that we see results.”
**Bigger picture:** Transforming the Mental Health Services Act into the Behavioral Health Services Act and building more community mental health treatment sites and supportive housing is the last main pillar of Governor Newsom’s Mental Health Movement – pulling together significant recent reforms like 988 crisis line, CalHOPE, CARE Court, conservatorship reform, CalAIM behavioral health expansion (including mobile crisis care and telehealth), Medi-Cal expansion to all low-income Californians, Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (including expanding services in schools and on-line), Older Adult Behavioral Health Initiative, Veterans Mental Health Initiative, Behavioral Health Community Infrastructure Program, Behavioral Health Bridge Housing, Health Care Workforce for All and more.
**More details on next step here**
Economy, Press releases, Recent news
## Recent news
## Governor Newsom announces $30 million in apprenticeship funding to fill high-demand jobs in health care, education, and technology
Oct 8, 2025
News What you need to know: More than 11,000 Californians to have access to debt-free pathways into high-demand careers that offer family-sustaining wages, opening doors to long-term economic mobility and opportunity across the state. SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin...
## Governor Newsom statement on Palisades Fire arrest
Oct 8, 2025
News SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom today issued the following statement after federal authorities announced an arrest in the Palisades Fire investigation: Today’s arrest of 29-year-old Florida resident Jonathan Rinderknecht marks an important step toward...
## Governor Newsom signs legislation 10.7.25
Oct 7, 2025
News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that he has signed the following bills: AB 42 by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) – CalWORKs: CalFresh: eligibility: income and resource exclusions. AB 43 by Assemblymember Nick Schultz (D-Burbank) –...
