Californians for Consumer Privacy Calls Out Microsoft for Donating $195,000 to SuperPAC Opposing Privacy Initiative After Calling Privacy a "Fundamental Human Right"

SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to state financial disclosures, less than 10 days after issuing a statement saying, "we believe privacy is a fundamental human right," Microsoft Corporation contributed $195,000 to an anti-privacy SuperPAC opposing the California Consumer Privacy Act, a ballot measure that would provide basic protections for consumers and their personal information. Uber also donated $50,000 to the same anti-privacy campaign, despite launching ads last month pledging to "Move Forward" after repeated privacy and security violations.

Because Microsoft contributed $5,000 less than the highest donors, which contributed $200,000, like AT&T, Google, Verizon, Comcast, Facebook and others, the company is not required by California law to appear on financial disclaimers for advertisements and communications opposing the privacy measure.

"If Microsoft and Uber want to stand against the basic consumer protections in the California Consumer Privacy Act, then all their customers have a right to know," said Californians for Consumer Privacy Chief Proponent Alastair Mactaggart. "We will continue to shine a light on the hypocrisy of these corporations that are saying one thing and doing entirely another when it comes to protecting consumer privacy."

After Californians for Consumer Privacy highlighted the hypocrisy of earlier corporate donations to the anti-privacy SuperPAC, both Facebook and Verizon announced that they would no longer contribute to that campaign.

The California Consumer Privacy Act recently cleared a major hurdle and submitted 637,000 signatures statewide to qualify for the November 2018 ballot.

About the California Consumer Privacy Act:
The California Consumer Privacy Act is aimed at the statewide ballot in November 2018 and would establish new, groundbreaking consumer privacy rights and would empower consumers to take back control over their personal information.

The California Consumer Privacy Act is supported by a coalition of consumer advocacy groups, business owners, technology experts, activists and parents. 

The California Consumer Privacy Act will allow California consumers:

1. To see what categories of their personal information large businesses collect about them;
2. To tell those corporations to stop selling their personal information, and to not discriminate against them for making that choice; and
3. To hold businesses accountable to victims of data breaches when they are reckless with Californians' personal information.

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