Privacy & Information Security Law Blog

On September 28, 2018, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law two identical bills regulating Internet-connected devices sold in California. S.B. 327 and A.B. 1906 (the “Bills”), aimed at the “Internet of Things,” require that manufacturers of connected devices—devices which are “capable of connecting to the Internet, directly or indirectly,” and are assigned an Internet Protocol or Bluetooth address, such as Nest’s thermostat—outfit the products with “reasonable” security features by January 1, 2020; or, in the bills’ words: “equip [a] device with a reasonable security feature or features that are appropriate to the nature and function of the device, appropriate to the information it may collect, contain, or transmit, and designed to protect the device and any information contained therein from unauthorized access, destruction, use, modification, or disclosure[.]”

According to Bloomberg Law, the Bills’ non-specificity regarding what “reasonable” features include is intentional; it is up to the manufacturers to decide what steps to take. Manufacturers argue that the Bills are egregiously vague, and do not apply to companies that import and resell connected devices made in other countries under their own labels.

The Bills are opposed by the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association, Entertainment Software Association and National Electrical Manufacturers Association. They are sponsored by Common Sense Kids Action; supporters include the Consumer Federation of America, Electronic Frontier Foundation and Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.