California Ends Private Lawsuits Over Website Tracking Tools
CATEGORY
Regulation
BODY
Governor Newsom signed SB 690 into law on September 30, 2026. The law eliminates the ability of private plaintiffs to sue businesses over website tracking technology under California's pen register laws. Only the state Attorney General can now bring enforcement actions for violations involving tracking on websites, online applications, or mobile apps. The law applies retroactively to claims filed within the past two years.
This removes the threat of class action lawsuits. Those suits sought $5,000 penalties per website visit from HVAC contractors using common analytics and marketing pixels.
Review your website's current tracking tools with your attorney. Confirm you're still compliant with other California privacy laws like CCPA.
Key Takeaways:
- Private lawsuits over website tracking technology eliminated as of September 30, 2026
- Law applies retroactively to pending claims filed within past two years
- Only California Attorney General can now bring enforcement actions
