What regulations does Compliable check?

Compliable checks content against GDPR, EU AI Act, CCPA, HIPAA, and FTC guidelines. More regulations are added regularly.

How fast is the compliance check API?

Compliable returns compliance results in under 800ms p95, making it suitable for real-time AI agent pipelines.

Is Compliable suitable for AI agents?

Yes. Compliable is designed to be called by AI agents before publishing or acting on any content. It returns structured JSON that agents can parse and act on automatically.

Does Compliable store my content?

No. Content is processed in-flight and immediately discarded. Nothing is stored or logged.

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CCPAPrivacyCalifornia

CCPA Compliance for AI Applications: A Developer's Guide

2025-04-04·7 min read

If your AI application processes data from California residents, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) applies to you. And unlike GDPR, which many developers are familiar with, CCPA has some unique requirements that LLMs tend to miss.

This guide covers what you need to know when building AI-powered apps that handle Californian user data.

What is CCPA?

CCPA gives California residents specific rights over their personal information, including:

Right to know what data you collect
Right to delete their data
Right to opt out of data sales
Right to non-discrimination (you can't punish them for exercising their rights)

If you're generating privacy policies, user-facing disclosures, or data collection notices with AI, you need to ensure these rights are clearly communicated.

When does CCPA apply?

CCPA applies if your business:

Has gross annual revenues over $25 million, OR
Buys, sells, or shares personal info of 100,000+ California residents, OR
Derives 50%+ of revenue from selling California residents' personal info

Important: Even if you're a small startup, if you're selling data (including to analytics providers), CCPA likely applies.

Common CCPA violations in AI-generated content

1. Missing "Do Not Sell My Personal Information" link

The violation: CCPA § 1798.135 requires a clear, conspicuous link titled "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" on your homepage.

If your AI generates website copy or privacy policies without this link, you're non-compliant.

Where it must appear:

Your homepage footer
Your privacy policy

What it must say: Exactly: "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" (not "Opt-Out" or "Privacy Settings").

2. Vague data categories

The violation: CCPA § 1798.100 requires you to disclose specific categories of personal information collected.

AI-generated policies often say:

"We collect information you provide to us."

Why it fails: You need to list actual categories: "name, email, IP address, device identifiers, browsing history."

The fix: Pass your AI a structured list of data types you actually collect. Don't let it hallucinate vague categories.

3. No disclosure of data sales

The violation: If you share user data with third parties (analytics, ads, affiliate networks), CCPA considers that a "sale" even if no money changes hands.

AI-generated privacy policies often omit this entirely or bury it in vague language:

"We may share your data with partners."

What you must say:

Who you share data with (specific company names)
What categories of data are shared
That users can opt out

Example:

"We share your email address and browsing activity with Google Analytics and Facebook Ads. California residents can opt out via our 'Do Not Sell' link."

4. Missing consumer request process

The violation: CCPA § 1798.130 requires you to provide two or more methods for consumers to submit data requests (access, deletion, opt-out).

AI-generated policies often say:

"Contact us to request your data."

Why it fails: "Contact us" is not a method. You need to specify:

A toll-free phone number, AND
A web form or email address

The fix: Hardcode your actual contact methods in AI-generated disclosures.

5. No timeframe for responding to requests

The violation: CCPA requires you to respond to verified consumer requests within 45 days.

AI-generated policies often omit this entirely or say:

"We will respond as soon as possible."

What you must say:

"We will respond to verified requests within 45 days of receipt."

CCPA vs. GDPR: Key differences

| Requirement | CCPA | GDPR | |------------|------|------| | Consent | Opt-out (you can collect first, let users opt out later) | Opt-in (you need consent upfront) | | Right to deletion | Yes, but with broad exceptions | Yes, stricter | | Data portability | Limited | Full right | | Fines | Up to $7,500 per intentional violation | Up to 4% of global revenue |

Key takeaway: CCPA is more lenient on consent but stricter on data sales disclosures.

Checklist for AI-generated CCPA disclosures

When your AI generates privacy-related content, ensure it includes:

[ ] "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" link (exact wording)
[ ] Specific categories of data collected (not vague terms like "information you provide")
[ ] Names of third parties who receive data (not "partners")
[ ] Two methods for consumer requests (phone + email/form)
[ ] 45-day response timeframe
[ ] Right to non-discrimination (you won't penalize opt-outs)

How Compliable helps

Compliable checks AI-generated privacy policies, terms of service, and user-facing disclosures for CCPA compliance before they go live.

What it catches:

Missing opt-out disclosures
Vague data category descriptions
Unnamed third-party recipients
Missing consumer request processes
Non-compliant language

You get back structured JSON with:

The specific CCPA section violated (e.g., § 1798.135)
Severity level (critical, high, medium)
A suggested fix

One API call. Under 800ms. No data retention.

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