Last month, I reported on five new privacy laws going into effect in 2023. Well, now we can add one more to the list of US state privacy laws on the books.

The recent passage of Iowa's data privacy law is a significant development in the ongoing effort to protect consumer privacy. The law, which applies to companies that process the personal data of at least 100,000 Iowa consumers or 25,000 Iowa consumers and derive 50% of their revenue from the sale of personal data, includes a number of provisions that are designed to give consumers more control over their personal data. The law is slated to take effect on January 1, 2025.

One of the law's most important provisions is the right to access personal data. Under the law, consumers have the right to request a copy of their personal data from any company that collects or processes it. This right will allow consumers to see what information companies have collected about them and how it is being used.

Another important provision of the law is the right to delete personal data. Under the law, consumers have the right to request that a company delete their personal data. This right will allow consumers to remove their personal information from company databases.

The law also includes a number of other provisions that are designed to protect consumer privacy. For example, the law requires companies to obtain consumer consent before collecting or processing their personal data. The law also prohibits companies from selling personal data without the consumer's consent.

However, even with the added protections which will give consumers more control over their personal data, it is important to note that the law is not without its limitations. For example, the law does not apply to all companies that collect or process personal data. Additionally, the law does not provide any enforcement mechanisms, which means that it may be difficult to ensure that companies comply with the law.

Despite these limitations, the passage of Iowa's data privacy law is a significant step in the right direction.

As privacy regulations become more prevalent in the United States, companies need to create policies to manage their data effectively and to be able to quickly identify and protect personally identifiable information (PII) in order to maintain compliance. This is especially challenging for collaboration data, which is often complex and unstructured.

Here are some specific steps that companies can take to effectively manage their collaboration data:

• Establish retention policies. Companies should establish retention policies for all types of data, including PII. These policies should specify how long data should be kept, who has access to it, and how it should be disposed of when it is no longer needed.
• Utilize artificial intelligence-powered search. Artificial intelligence-powered search can help companies identify PII quickly and easily. This is especially helpful for collaboration data, which is often complex and unstructured.
• Keep up with the latest regulations. Companies should stay up-to-date on the latest privacy regulations. This can be done by subscribing to industry newsletters, attending conferences, and reading white papers.

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