*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).
By combining forces, T-Mobile and Sprint can help the United States create a 5G network vital to the country's digital infrastructure, the companies' chief executives say in an interview with Cheddar's Hope King. "Our competitors are not going to stand still. They're also going to invest," says the Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure. He cites a recent study by CTIA, a wireless industry trade group which he also chairs, that said 5G networks could add 3 million jobs to the American economy.
The CEOs of both wireless providers told Cheddar Monday that it's critical the U.S. rolls out 5G technology in order to stay ahead in the global market. "We currently, as a nation, are behind," said T-Mobile CEO John Legere. The carriers announced a plan to merge Sunday, arguing that the combined company will help build out a faster, next-generation network, drive down prices for consumers, and create jobs. They still need the seal of approval from regulators who, in the past, have expressed antitrust concerns over the deal.
The agreed merger of T-Mobile and Sprint aligns with President Trump's policy priorities, the T-Mobile CEO John Legere says in an interview with Cheddar's Hope King. He says the president's tax policies have "added a great amount of value in this deal," and the merged company can help create a fast 5G network vital to the country's digital infrastructure, another priority for Trump.
A recent Survey Monkey poll revealed that 37 percent of working moms say they don't find support on social media, where they are usually shamed or can't find advice. That's what inspired the founder of Pando, Sarah Lacy, to launch "Chairman Mom," a social media platform for mothers.
Jill Steinberg, the wife of Cheddar's CEO, took the DIY genetic test out of curiosity and found out she was prone to breast cancer. "There's always something there to learn," says Anne Wojcicki, CEO and founder of 23andMe.
Shares of the electronic signature company surged around 37 percent in its market debut Friday. CEO Dan Springer told Cheddar the company has all of the components to be "a rock solid public company."
Homepolish is like Tinder for interior design, where clients are matched up with designers based on not just aesthetics but also "personality, working style," says the founder and CEO Noa Santos.
Divya Narendra, who founded HarvardConnection with the Winklevoss twins and later sued Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg for stealing the idea, tells Cheddar the market's reaction to the Cambridge Analytica scandal was an "overreaction."
Many worry that fallout from the Cambridge Analytica scandal could weigh down Facebook's growth in the next few quarters, but "fatigue with the platform" may be the bigger drag, says Scott Devitt, an analyst at Stifel.
Since Russia banned the encrypted messaging service last week, Google and Amazon have also been dragged into the fight. This comes at a time when Telegram is considering an ICO and has already raised a total of $1.7 billion, making it the biggest potential coin offering in history.
