*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).
Google's demo of the A.I powered Duplex voice assistant stunned the world in how it interacted with a real human. But now evidence suggests it may be fake.
Stocks kick off the week with a rally after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the prospect of a trade war was "on hold" following an agreement to suspend tariff threats. Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveils details of the souped-up Model 3. President Trump is going after the FBI. Fortnite is launching on Android phones this summer.
Elon Musk said that offering the $78,000 high-performance version of the Tesla Model 3, equipped with faster acceleration and longer battery range, before the base version was actually ready, would help the electric carmaker meet demand. Tesla has struggled to hit production targets for the mass-market Model 3, advertised as a $35,000 car, but with an actual price closer to $50,000.
Schmidt's Naturals is allowing consumers to buy its deodorants online using Bitcoin, the first Unilever brand to dip its toes into cryptocurrency. So far, up to 10 percent of sales online were made in Bitcoin, says Michael Cammarata, a co-founder and the chief executive of Schmidt's Naturals.
Uber's recently released national TV ad, featuring its new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, attempts to hit refresh for a company that has been hit by years of negative coverage. Meanwhile Facebook's new ad is more reactive to the recent Cambridge Analytica crisis, says Jon Swartz, a senior reporter at Barron's.
The hedge fund is investing $500 million in blockchain technology, focusing on converting traditional paper equity into tokens, a move that could help regulators, says Anthony Pompliano, a partner at Morgan Creek Blockchain Capital.
A deadly school shooting in Texas, and Elon Musk's plans for LA traffic. Plus the CIA gets its first female director, a one-time, online-only bedding store goes brick-and-mortar, and we get ready for the Royal Wedding.
Musk, the head of Tesla and SpaceX, shared details Thursday of his Boring Co.'s plans to help alleviate Los Angeles's notorious traffic problem. He said an underground tunnel would shuttle "pods" of up to 16 people at a time at speeds of 150 miles an hour for just $1 per ride. But the plan faces resistance from some residents who want a full environmental review.
The online learning platform had its Nasdaq debut Thursday, when the stock opened at $20, or 33 percent above its IPO price. Enthusiasm for the online education platform is driven by a rapidly increasing skills gap in the job market, which Pluralsight aims to narrow, says the company's CEO Aaron Skonnard.
After all Senate Democrats voted in favor of keeping the internet open and fair, the party is using this opportunity to paint itself as a champion of the consumer going into the midterm elections later this year, says Ross Rubin, principal analyst at Reticle Research.
