In this article, we're going to talk about what the CCPA says about training, look at what other US laws say about it too, and show how our company's courses help businesses meet these rules and teach your employees all about keeping data private and safe.
Businesses that need to comply with any data privacy law or data security law in the United States need to train their personnel on data privacy and data security.
In the United States, keeping personal information safe is a big deal now more than ever. A major law about this is the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). It gives clear instructions to businesses on how to manage personal information and also makes sure they train their employees on how to handle this information properly. While the CCPA is very clear about these rules, it's not the only law that talks about data privacy and security.
Explore more privacy compliance insights and best practices
But your organization is as strong as your weakest link. If your employees and contractors do not respect the rules, your business could violate the laws and get fined. That's why training them is not just meeting a legal requirement but also preventing trouble with the laws.
In this article, we're going to talk about what the CCPA says about training, look at what other US laws say about it too, and show how our company's courses help businesses meet these rules and teach your employees all about keeping data private and safe.
In the United States, there are three types of laws that regulate the handling of personal information:
One of the common things among these laws is that they require covered businesses to implement technical and organizational measures for data security and privacy. And one of the most common measures for ensuring data security is training personnel. If they knew how to protect personal information, compliance with the laws would be easier.
You have to train your people. You can do it by providing them with on-site training, online courses, or other methods. There is no workaround.
The CCPA requires that individuals who deal with consumer requests or manage a business's CCPA compliance are knowledgeable about consumers' rights, the obligations of businesses, and the ways to implement these. In short, they should be knowledgeable of the CCPA. That's where the training requirement comes from.
Furthermore, each business is required to create, document, and comply with a training policy.
Clearly, for a business that must comply with the CCPA, it's smarter to provide training to its staff rather than expecting them to learn and educate themselves about their CCPA-related duties within the company. These employees are seldom privacy professionals and often need additional privacy and data protection knowledge to handle privacy issues within the organization.
In addition to California, eleven other states in the United States, bringing the total to twelve, have passed their own consumer data privacy laws. These laws share a common feature: they all contain general data security requirements. These requirements compel businesses to put in place various technical and organizational measures to protect consumer data.
These measures are rarely detailed in the legislation. In cases where measures are outlined, such as in the New York Shield Act, they are usually presented as recommendations rather than strict rules. This approach allows businesses to assess and decide what specific security measures are most appropriate and effective for their particular situation. No two businesses are the same; therefore, no two businesses shall be subject to the same security measures.
Despite the lack of detailed guidance in the legislation, one aspect consistently emerges as crucial for data privacy: employee training. Training employees in data privacy and security practices is increasingly recognized as a vital component of an organization's overall data protection strategy. By educating staff on the importance of data privacy, the nuances of handling personal information, and the potential risks involved, businesses can significantly enhance their data security posture and better comply with the varied requirements of state privacy laws.
Across the United States, data security laws are aligned with the provisions of data privacy legislation. These laws require general security measures but stop short of specifying the exact actions to be taken. This leaves businesses in a position where they must either make educated guesses or rely on the expertise of their staff.
However, one aspect is consistently acknowledged as beneficial: training employees. Providing training is seen as an effective organizational strategy for preventing data breaches and safeguarding personal data. That's why investing in employee training aligns with meeting these legal requirements, ensuring that your business remains compliant with the broad expectations set by these laws.
We at Secure Privacy care about data protection and privacy. We want to see a world where companies prioritize data privacy and security. We have created a SaaS solution for making websites compliant with over 40 data protection laws globally, and now we want to educate people on privacy as well.
We have created micro-learning courses that your employees can take in a couple of hours, learn the essentials of the laws, and be able to protect the data in your company right afterward. The courses contain only the essentials—what an employee needs to know to handle personal information properly without violating the laws.
Upon completing the course, your people will take a multiple-choice test. If they pass, they will earn a certificate of completion to prove their knowledge, and you'll be able to prove compliance with the privacy and security requirements of US laws.
You'll find the following modules in this course:
