Virginia bans sale of geolocation data
12 hours ago
- #Privacy Law
- #State Legislation
- #Geolocation Data
- Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed S.B. 388 into law on April 13, 2026, amending the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) to prohibit the sale of geolocation data.
- The VCDPA defines 'sale' narrowly as 'the exchange of personal data for monetary consideration by the controller to a third party,' unlike broader definitions in states like Maryland and Oregon.
- The ban on selling geolocation data takes effect on July 1, 2026, following similar legislation in Maryland and Oregon, and proposed bans in California, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Washington.
- This legislative action follows regulatory scrutiny, including the California Attorney General's March 2025 investigation into the location data industry and a 2024 FTC settlement banning a data broker from selling such data.