Your California privacy rights as a survey panel member (CCPA and CPRA)

What changed in 2023

The CCPA first came into force in 2020. California voters then approved the CPRA, which strengthened the law, and most of those changes took effect on January 1, 2023. A dedicated regulator, the California Privacy Protection Agency, now oversees the law alongside the state Attorney General.

For survey panel members, the practical effect is simple: you have clearer rights, and panels must explain what they collect, why, and for how long they keep it.

This article is general information, not legal advice. The official text and guidance from the California Privacy Protection Agency are the final word.

The data a survey panel holds

A panel usually holds three kinds of information about you:

• Account details, such as your name, email address, country and password.
• Profile answers, such as your age range, household, job and interests, which are used to match you with studies.
• Activity and rewards, such as which studies you took part in and what you earned.

Some profile questions touch on sensitive information, for example health conditions or ethnicity. Under the CPRA these count as "sensitive personal information", and answering them should always be optional.

Your rights, one by one

The right to know

You can ask what personal information a business has collected about you, where it came from, why it was collected and who it was disclosed to. You can also ask for a copy of the information itself.

The right to delete

You can ask a business to delete personal information it collected from you. There are some exceptions, for example records a company must keep to complete a payment, prevent fraud or meet a legal duty.

The right to correct

If something is wrong, such as an old address or an outdated job title, you can ask for it to be corrected. For panel members this is also useful in practice, because accurate profiles bring better-matched invitations.

The right to opt out of sale and sharing

"Selling" and "sharing" have specific meanings in the law. Sharing includes passing data to another company for cross-context behavioral advertising, the kind of ads that follow you around the web. You can tell a business not to do either.

The right to limit sensitive information

You can ask a business to use sensitive personal information only for what is necessary to provide the service you asked for.

The right not to be treated differently

A business cannot deny you service, charge you more or give you a worse experience because you used your rights.

Rewards and the "notice of financial incentive"

Survey panels reward you for taking part, and part of what you provide is information about yourself. California law treats some programs like this as financial incentives. A business offering one should explain the terms, how the value of your data relates to the reward and how you can withdraw. You are free to opt in or out.

How to make a request

Most businesses offer at least two ways to send a request, such as an online form and an email address. When you ask:

• say which right you are using, for example "I would like a copy of my personal information"
• use the email address linked to your account, so the business can verify you
• expect a confirmation that the request was received, and a full response within 45 days, which can be extended in some cases

You can also use an authorized agent to make a request for you. The business may ask the agent for proof that you gave permission.

Global Privacy Control

Global Privacy Control, or GPC, is a setting in some browsers and extensions that sends a signal to every website you visit saying you do not want your data sold or shared. Under California's rules, businesses must treat that signal as a valid opt-out request. Turning it on is one of the easiest privacy steps you can take.

Common questions

Do these rights apply if I do not live in California?

The CCPA protects California residents. Other states have passed similar laws, and people in the EU and UK have rights under the GDPR. Many panels, including Reward Hours, offer the same core choices to everyone.

Will deleting my data close my account?

Usually yes, because a panel cannot match you to studies without any information. Unpaid rewards may be handled differently, so check the panel's terms before you ask.

Does a survey panel sell my answers?

A research panel shares answers with research clients in combined, anonymous form to deliver the study. That is different from selling your contact details to advertisers, which a trustworthy panel does not do.