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Google, Industry Try to Water Down First U.S. Data-Privacy Law

  • Lobbyist for Google pushes changes to California privacy act
  • Internet giant backs industry bid to protect targeted ads
Key Speakers At Noah Technology Conference
Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg
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Google and its industry allies are making a late bid to water down the first major data-privacy law in the U.S., seeking to carve out exemptions for digital advertising, according to documents obtained by Bloomberg and people familiar with the negotiations.

A lobbyist for Google recently distributed new language to members of California’s state legislature that would amend the California Consumer Privacy Act. As currently drafted, the law limits how Google and other companies collect and make money from user data online, threatening a business model that generates billions of dollars in ad revenue. It’s due to kick in next year and there are only a few more days to amend the law.