*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).
Kelly Beatty, senior editor of Sky & Telescope, talks SpaceX's powerful Falcon Heavy rocket, the possibility of a tax break for the company, and the upcoming lunar eclipse. The Falcon Heavy rocket is the most powerful this generation has ever seen.
Snap Inc. has a message for its employees: if you leak company information, you could go to jail. Amazon announces it will increase prices on monthly Prime memberships by 20%. Facebook recently announced it will change the News Feed to favor posts from friends and family over posts from publishers. And the clock is ticking for Congress to extend funding and avoid a government shutdown.
Stephanie Ericksen, Vice President of Global Risk Products at Visa, says counterfeit fraud has gone down by 66% since chip-cards were widely adopted about two and a half years ago.
Arianna Huffington explains how it helps people combat their smartphone addiction. Amazon narrows the list of cities for HQ2. Facebook announces details of its community outreach program. Whatsapp announces it will allow business accounts. In a Cheddar scoop, Snapchat is laying off dozens of workers. The government shutdown looms. IBM, Atlassian, American Express release earnings.
re: 3D is the winner of the global Wework Creator Awards. The global competition featured innovative companies from around the world and boasted a $1 million prize. re: 3D took home the title, the prize money, and lots of room for innovating and ideas.
Jacobs Engineering Group is celebrating their 70th anniversary. The team is looking towards the future and the potential infrastructure bill that could be passing sometime this month or next. JEC explains why this bill is necessary and what impact it would have on the U.S. as a whole.
This week Bitcoin saw a huge drop and most of the other cryptocurrencies followed. So is it worth betting on Bitcoin? Bilal Zuberi is a partner at VC firm Lux Capital and he gives his take on investing in blockchain technology over cryptocurrency.
Thrive Global launched a new mobile app geared to improve people's relationship with technology. The company's co-founder and CEO Arianna Huffington explains how it helps people combat their smartphone addiction.
On VF Hive: We’re joined by the crew from Vanity Fair's Hive to discuss Bannon's Mueller investigation subpoena. On Between Bells: Winter Olympics diplomacy, and Ellen Pompeo's payday. With New York Magazine, Latina Magazine, and FHM.
Heather West, Senior Policy Manager at Mozilla, tells Cheddar how she thinks constituents can help in the fight against the repeal of net neutrality.
