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State Consumer Privacy Act Frequently Asked Questions - (FAQ)


State privacy laws in Virginia, Colorado and Connecticut provide certain privacy rights to their respective resident consumers regarding their personal data. These frequently asked questions (“FAQs”) provide general consumer information about the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA),  Colorado Privacy Act (CPA), and Connecticut Data Privacy Act (CTDPA). For more information about our privacy practices, including those relevant to your state of residency, please visit our Your Privacy Rights and State Consumer Privacy Rights pages .  If you are a resident of California, we have a separate FAQ related to the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

What are the VCDPA, CPA, CTDPA laws?

These are acronyms for consumer privacy laws passed by the states of Virginia (Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act – VCDPA), Colorado (Colorado Privacy Act - CPA), and Connecticut (Connecticut Data Privacy Act CTDPA), respectively.

With ever-expanding internet and technology use, many states have begun to pass consumer data privacy laws in recent years. These laws primarily govern how a consumer’s personal information can be collected, used, and shared by businesses operating in those states, as well as grant individuals certain rights related to their personal information.  Collectively, these laws provide the following rights to their residents regarding their personal data:

  • The right to know and access what personal data a business has collected about them and how it is used and shared;
  • The right to delete their personal data;
  • The right to correct inaccurate personal data;
  • The right to receive a portable copy of the personal data previously provided to the business;
  • The right to appeal a business’s refusal to take action on a consumer’s request to exercise their other rights;
  • The right to opt-in to the processing of sensitive data;
  • The right to opt-out of the of the processing of personal data for targeted advertising purposes, the sale of personal data, and profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects concerning the consumer; and
  • The right to non-discrimination and equal service for exercising their consumer data rights.


For more information about our overall privacy practices, including those relevant to your state of residency, please visit our Your Privacy Rights and State Consumer Privacy Rights pages.

When does the VA, CO, and CT state privacy laws go into effect?

The Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act took effect on January 1, 2023. The Colorado Privacy Act and the Connecticut Data Privacy Act will both go into effect on July 1, 2023.

What is personal data?

While the laws may differ slightly in their language, generally, personal data is any information that is linked or reasonably linked to an identified or identifiable natural person, including, but not limited to their name, address, email, phone number, or social security number. It does not include deidentified data or publicly available information.

What is sensitive data?

Sensitive data is personal data that reveals an individual's racial or ethnic origin, citizenship or citizenship status, immigration status, religious or philosophical beliefs, genetic data or biometric data used to uniquely identify an individual, health data, data concerning a person’s mental or physical condition, data concerning a person's sex life or sexual orientation, precise geolocation data (typically a location within 1,750 feet) or data of a known child (under the age of 13).

Who enforces the new state privacy laws?

Each states’ attorney’s general have exclusive authority to investigate and enforce the data privacy laws.

How do I opt-out of the use of my personal data for purposes of targeted advertising?

Spectrum offers many choices to help you manage your privacy and ensure that you have meaningful choice and control over how we use your data, including those consumer choices covered under applicable state laws. You can manage your privacy preferences by visiting our Privacy Preferences page.

How do I exercise my state-specific privacy rights?

If you are resident of Virginia, Colorado, or Connecticut, you can submit a consumer request by visiting our online request page at https://privacy.spectrum.net.

When should I expect to receive a response to my consumer request?

Under applicable state laws, Spectrum has forty-five (45) days in which to respond to a consumer’s request. In some instances, Spectrum may need additional time to complete your request. The law permits Spectrum to seek a one-time extension for an additional forty-five (45) days, for up to a total of ninety (90) days. In the event Spectrum needs additional time, we will notify you of the need for an extension within the initial forty-five (45) day period.

Can Spectrum deny my request to delete personal data?

The applicable state laws grant consumers the right to submit a consumer request that a business delete their personal data.  Although individual state laws differ slightly, generally Spectrum may decline a consumer’s request to delete when such information is necessary to comply with law, investigate and defend legal claims, fraud or the security of Spectrum or others, provide you with a product or service you requested, or for public or peer-reviewed scientific or statistical research in the public interest, or if the information is not subject to the applicable consumer privacy law.  .

How will I know when my request for access, correction, or deletion has been completed under applicable state law?

For access and portability requests, you will receive an email that will contain instructions on how you can view and or download your personal information file. For all other requests, the email will contain the results of the request.