Are phone numbers protected by CCPA?

[suhashini25]

Yes, **phone numbers are protected under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)**, which is a comprehensive privacy law enacted to give California residents more control over their personal information. The CCPA defines **“personal information”** broadly as any information that identifies, relates to, describes, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular consumer or household. Within this scope, a **phone number clearly qualifies as personal information** (PI).

The inclusion of phone numbers under the CCPA has significant implications for businesses that collect, store, share, or sell consumer data. Whether used for communication, marketing, account verification, or analytics, the mere collection of a phone number from a California resident triggers obligations under the CCPA, provided the business meets certain thresholds. These thresholds include having over \$25 million in gross revenue, processing the personal information of 100,000 or more California consumers or households annually, or deriving 50% or more of annual revenue from selling personal information.

Businesses subject to the CCPA must follow specific rules when handling phone numbers. First, they must **inform consumers at or before the point of data collection** that their phone number is being collected, explain chinese singapore b2c cell phone number data the purpose of that collection, and state how the information will be used. This disclosure is typically made in a company’s privacy policy or through in-app notifications.

Under the CCPA, California residents have several **data rights** related to their phone numbers and other personal data. These include:

1. **The right to know** what personal information a business has collected about them, including phone numbers.
2. **The right to delete** personal information, meaning individuals can request that their phone number be removed from the business’s systems, subject to certain exceptions (e.g., if the data is needed to complete a transaction or comply with legal obligations).
3. **The right to opt out of the sale** of personal information. If a business shares phone numbers with third parties for marketing or other commercial purposes, consumers must be given the option to opt out.
4. **The right to non-discrimination**, meaning businesses cannot penalize consumers for exercising their CCPA rights—for instance, by denying service or charging different prices.

For businesses, compliance requires implementing secure data handling practices, enabling user requests (such as deletion or access), and maintaining records of how personal information like phone numbers is used and shared. In addition, businesses must provide at least two designated methods for submitting consumer requests—often including a toll-free phone number and a web form.

In summary, **the CCPA explicitly protects phone numbers as personal information**, placing obligations on businesses that process them and granting California residents important rights over their data. Any company collecting phone numbers from users in California must ensure transparency, offer meaningful controls, and implement safeguards to avoid regulatory penalties and maintain consumer trust.