Right of Access
Definition
A consumer's right to know what personal data a business has collected about them, including the categories of data, specific pieces of data, sources, purposes of collection, and third parties with whom data is shared. This is the foundational consumer right in all state privacy laws.
Legal Definition
Under the CCPA (Cal. Civ. Code 1798.110): consumers have the right to request that a business disclose: the categories of personal information collected, the categories of sources, the business purpose for collecting, the categories of third parties with whom data is shared, and the specific pieces of personal information collected.
State Laws Using This Term
Practical Example
A consumer submits a DSAR to a social media company asking to see all data held about them. The company provides a downloadable file containing their profile data, posts, messages, ad interaction history, and the third parties the data was shared with.
Related Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
How often can a consumer exercise their right of access?
Under the CCPA, consumers can make access requests twice in a 12-month period. Other states generally do not specify a limit but allow businesses to deny manifestly unfounded or excessive requests.