California’s New Data Privacy Laws: What CMOs Need to Know (and Do Next)

The eCommerce CMO sits at their desk, looking at a campaign that’s been meticulously tuned using customer behavior data. The numbers look great. The targeting is tight. Revenue should follow.

And then the reality check hits: California’s privacy rules are tightening again, and what used to be “smart personalization” can quickly become non-compliant data processing—especially when data is shared with ad platforms, processed by vendors, or used to drive automated decisions.

California’s evolving privacy landscape demands higher rigor, clearer transparency, and stronger operational controls. For CMOs, this isn’t just about avoiding fines. It’s about preventing trust erosion—because when privacy feels deceptive, customers don’t just opt out. They leave.

##What’s Changing (In Plain English)

California’s updates introduce more formal requirements that push privacy beyond “legal copy” and into day-to-day operations.

Key changes that affect marketing teams include: • More scrutiny on “selling” or “sharing” data (especially in adtech flows) • More structured governance expectations (risk assessments, security controls) • New pressure on automated profiling and AI-driven decisions • New laws targeting sensitive data types (like geolocation)

Even if you’re not headquartered in California, you may still be impacted if you collect or process data about California residents.

##Adapting Marketing Strategies Without Losing Performance

Balancing compliance with personalization is now a core CMO responsibility.

Personalization still works—but the inputs have to be compliant.

The new “personalization dilemma” happens when campaigns rely on: • legacy consent assumptions • tags and pixels firing before choice is captured • unclear vendor sharing • segmentation that may qualify as automated profiling

The goal is not less personalization. It’s privacy-respectful personalization: • use first-party and permissioned data • reduce reliance on uncontrolled third-party scripts • move to consent-aware analytics + advertising • build a repeatable process for preference enforcement

##Opportunities for Building Consumer Trust

Privacy doesn’t have to be a drag on growth. Done well, it’s a differentiator.

CMOs can turn the “regulatory hurdle” into a trust-building strategy by: • making privacy controls easy to understand • giving users real choice (not dark patterns) • clearly explaining what data is used for what purpose • honoring opt-out signals consistently across tools

Consumers increasingly reward brands that treat privacy like part of the customer experience—not just a compliance checkbox.

##What Goes Wrong in Real Life 1. Implicit Consent Assumptions Assuming a past “yes” covers new purposes, new vendors, or new targeting models. 2. Consent Not Enforced Downstream Capturing a preference is meaningless if data still flows to analytics/ad platforms. 3. Over-Reliance on Legacy Tracking Setups Older tag manager stacks often don’t support modern opt-out enforcement. 4. Marketing + Legal Operating in Different Worlds Policies say one thing, implementation does another. 5. Vendor Risk Blind Spots Third parties may be non-compliant—or may create “sharing” that triggers obligations.

##Checklist for Ensuring Compliance

Task Description Implement a CMP Deploy a Consent Management Platform to capture and store user preferences legally. Audit data sources and sharing Map where data is collected, where it flows, and what vendors receive it. Enforce consent across the stack Ensure opt-outs actually suppress tags, pixels, and data sharing downstream. Update privacy disclosures Align policy language with what your site/app actually does. Review vendor compliance Confirm third-party tools support privacy signals and contractual requirements. Establish a risk review workflow Create a repeatable process for evaluating new campaigns, vendors, and AI use cases.

##PieEye POV

From PieEye’s perspective, California’s evolving rules are a forcing function—in a good way.

This isn’t just a legal exercise. It’s a chance to modernize marketing operations around: • consent you can prove • preferences you can enforce • privacy experiences that build trust

The next sprint shouldn’t be “patch the banner.” It should be a compliance roadmap: • tighten consent capture and signal enforcement • audit the marketing vendor stack • build repeatable governance into campaign launches • communicate privacy as a brand value—not a footnote

Privacy is becoming part of growth strategy. Brands that treat it that way will win.