New Texas law takes effect to protect consumer data

HOUSTON - A new law takes effect Monday, July 1 to protect your data privacy in Texas. It aims to protect you from companies collecting and selling information about you.

First, what is your data?

Your online data is information that businesses collect about you online, such as what you shop for, what social media posts you like, what you search for online, or where you go with your GPS.

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The Texas Data Privacy and Security Act will apply to organizations that conduct business in Texas or generate products or services consumed by Texans.

The law lets you access any data that a company has on you. You can ask them to delete it, correct it, stop collecting it, not use it to target ads to you, or not to sell it.

Companies must comply within 45 days and those that don't can be fined up to $7,500.

But the law does not apply to everyone collecting info about you.

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It does not apply to small businesses with fewer than 500 employees, state agencies, institutions of higher learning, electricity utilities and providers, and healthcare providers overseen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Companies can also extend their deadline if they provide a reason, or decline your request if they can justify it and tell you how you can appeal the decision.

The Texas Attorney General recently established a new team to enforce this law.  Consumers can file complaints with the AG here.