"The ask came from Google, maker of the world's most used web browser, Chrome. The tech giant sent a message to an email list that Hopkins and other small business owners were subscribed to. Google's request: To sign a petition opposing Assembly Bill 566, which would require browsers to provide users with a way to automatically tell websites not to share their personal information with third parties. The measure is sponsored by the California Privacy Protection Agency, which enforces state regulations on such sharing."
"In its email to Hopkins, Google claimed that the legislation would "hurt your ability to use online ads to reach customers." "It was intentionally misleading people that by this bill passing, they were going to lose out on all of these tools within Google (to advertise)," she told CalMatters. The outreach was particularly noteworthy because Google had not itself taken a public position on the bill."
Navah Hopkins, a Rhode Island small business owner, received an email from Google asking her to sign a petition opposing California Assembly Bill 566. The petition aimed to block a requirement that browsers provide a way for users to automatically tell websites not to share personal information with third parties. Google's email warned the measure would hurt businesses' ability to use online ads to reach customers. The petition was filed by the Connected Commerce Council, backed by Google. Google had not publicly stated a position, and bill author Josh Lowenthal only learned of the outreach after being asked. Lowenthal amended the bill to delay the effective date to 2027 and add liability protections for browser companies.
Read at San Jose Inside
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