Brian Moos / News Reporter

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Starting July 31, the Minnesota Consumer Data Privacy Act (MCDPA) will be in effect. Under the MCDPA, businesses must meet strict requirements to better protect and secure consumer data. Attorney Gen. Keith Ellison and author of the law, Minn. House Rep. Steve Elkins (DFL – 50B) announced how Minnesotans can control how their data is collected and used. Elkins stated that the MCDPA grants Minnesotans the right to question the results of ‘profiling’ that scores people based upon personal data. These scores can be used to make automated decisions affecting access to jobs, housing, education, insurance or other essential services.

Some of the new rights under the MCDPA include,

• The right to a list of third parties where a company sold your data.
• The right to get a copy of the personal and sensitive data a business has about you.
• The right to ask a business to delete personal and sensitive information.

Consumers can contact businesses to assert these rights, and businesses are required to respond within 45 days.