Online Privacy Leaders including Abine, Brave, DuckDuckGo, Mozilla Firefox, and More Launch "GPC" (Global Privacy Control) Standard for Web Browsers

BOSTON, Oct. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Online privacy leaders announce today the launch of the Global Privacy Control (GPC), a new standard web browsers and websites can use to simplify making and handling online privacy requests - particularly requests like "Do Not Sell" (do not sell my data to third parties without my consent). 

Such online privacy requests have only recently been made possible due to new consumer privacy laws like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and Europe's GDPR, but consumers have lacked tools and standards to invoke their newly-won privacy rights.

Now, rather than having to click on individual links across many websites, internet users can communicate their privacy preferences in one step via the "Global Privacy Control" (GPC).

The GPC enables new technology, like browsers from Mozilla and DuckDuckGo and browser extensions from Abine and Disconnect, that sends a signal to participating websites. This signal communicates a Do Not Sell request as outlined in CCPA regulations and conveys a general request that data controllers limit the sale or sharing of the user's personal data, as outlined in the GDPR.

The specification has already been implemented by several leading national publishers at time of launch, and many others are expected to follow suit, driven by growing consumer demand for more privacy controls.

"The CCPA was landmark legislation for consumer privacy protection, but the consumer rights outlined were complicated to enforce," says Rob Shavell, CEO of Abine (The Online Privacy Company).

"As a result, the industry has relied upon this "nothing will happen in practice" understanding to avoid both real investment and real change.  The launch of GPC and associated technology aims to change this status quo."

In this phase of the rollout, individuals can enable Global Privacy Control by installing a supported browser or extension such as Blur by Abine or by going to the official Global Privacy Control website to download one of the other participating browsers and extensions from the EFF, DuckDuckGo, Brave, Mozilla, and Disconnect. Soon more browsers and websites will support GPC.

About Global Privacy Control: https://globalprivacycontrol.org/

The Global Privacy Control (GPC) is a new standard that changes how consumers invoke their privacy rights online. Using easy-to-use GPC-powered technology, internet users can feel safe knowing their personal data is more protected on participating websites.

About Abine: https://www.abine.com/

Abine is The Online Privacy Company, making easy-to-use tools for consumers to control what personal information companies, third parties, and other people see about them online. Their Blur software protects consumers' payments, passwords, and privacy and is among the first browser extensions to implement the new Global Privacy Control standard. Their DeleteMe service (JoinDeleteMe.com) takes the concept of GPC much further: it offers a subscription service which has helped customers successfully complete over 25 million opt-outs from data brokers, ensuring consumers' and businesses' online privacy.

Contact: Will Simonds, 617-345-0024, [email protected]

SOURCE Abine