*By Mike Teich*
A sweeping data privacy bill has been approved in California, but it may be too late for internet users to protect their information, said former National Counterterrorism Center officer Dave White.
"You have to consider yourself compromised," he said. "You’ve already given your data away."
Experts are calling it the nation's most far-reaching law to give consumers more control over their personal data. Under the law, customers can request what personal data companies have collected and what third parties have received it.
The passing of the historical bill didn't come without criticism. The ACLU of Northern California said the legislation falls "woefully short" in defending individuals' rights.
"It's a great first step," White said. However, “it doesn’t go far enough."
Companies that collect user data, from Amazon to Microsoft to Uber, lobbied aggressively against the law, pouring millions into a [opposition campaigns](https://www.theverge.com/2018/6/15/17468292/amazon-microsoft-uber-california-consumer-privacy-act).
But consumer advocates called it a milestone victory. "Today was a [huge win](http://money.cnn.com/2018/06/28/technology/california-consumer-privacy-act/index.html) and gives consumer privacy advocates a blueprint for success," James P. Steyer, CEO and founder of Common Sense Media. "We look forward to working together with lawmakers across the nation to ensure robust data privacy protections for all Americans."
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/california-passes-historic-privacy-bill).
The scooter start-up reported on Thursday that it has raised $300 million. This is Bird's third round of funding this year, valuing the company at an estimated $2 billion. "We've never seen something grow so quickly with such high engagement," Dana Settle, founding partner, tells Cheddar.
After Bitcoin took some significant blows in the market, some investors wonder how low it could go. "$5,000 was my most optimistic downward target and my most pessimistic downward target is $1,300," says blockchain and Bitcoin consultant Tone Vays.
The cryptocurrency is seeing weakening demand, which is putting pressure on prices. “We’ve slipped back in terms of people that accept it, so the transactional network is smaller today than it was a year ago,” says Paul Johnson, senior adviser at blockchain consulting firm Harbor Peak. “We’ve got this speculative demand that’s gone away because FOMO’s gone.”
The consumer banking company, which has been testing and refining its Finn app in St. Louis since October, decided to expand its scope nationally. But the platform faces some tough competition, including Goldman Sach's Marcus and even Amazon.
Snap is reportedly looking to get into gaming, a move that other platforms will likely copy because users are starting to "socialize in these games," says Chris Merwin, esports analyst at Goldman Sachs.
More than a third of GoDaddy's 18 million users are from outside the U.S., a number that will continue to rise, says Wagner. The platform is also adding new services to help it expand beyond hosting websites. "Our goal over the next five years is to really be the place where ideas start, grow, and thrive online."
The messaging tool was down for the better part of Wednesday, affecting workplaces across the country. For its size and how crucial it has become for businesses, an hours-long outage is "really troubling," says Brett Molina, digital editor at USA TODAY.
The ride-sharing company got a new $600 million worth of funding, led by investment firm Fidelity. That raises its valuation to $15.1 billion from about $7.5 billion a year ago. But even with the fresh money, Andrew Hawkins, senior transportation reporter for the Verge, said the company could still IPO before Uber.
The White House announced plans to ease restrictions on Chinese investment in U.S. technology companies on Wednesday. The Trump administration won't block companies with 25 percent or more of Chinese ownership from buying into the U.S. tech sector. Markets rebounded on the news.
The results are in from Tuesday's primary elections. Zach Montellaro, campaign reporter at Politico, joins Cheddar to weigh in on the shocking political upset in New York's 14th district. Political newcomer Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defeated Rep. Joe Crowley, the fourth most powerful Democrat in the House.
Plus, Conagra Brands is buying Pinnacle Foods in a cash-and-stock deal worth $10.9 billion. The deal will create the second largest frozen food company in the U.S., just behind Nestle. Conagra owns Healthy Choice and Pinnacle owns Birds Eye.
