On Wednesday, the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) Privacy and Data Protection Task Force announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) to establish a federal-state partnership focused on privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity enforcement matters. This partnership will allow the FCC and the CPPA to share resources and align efforts when conducting investigations related to consumer protections.

The Task Force focuses on privacy and data protection issues subject to the FCC’s authority under the Communications Act. The Task Force provides privacy education to the public regarding various topics such as SIM swapping scams, port-out fraud, and data breaches related to fraudulent cell phone account activity. The CPPA is a state agency that enforces the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), protects the privacy of California residents, and educates them on their rights under the CCPA.

While the FCC has MOUs with several state attorneys general, the FCC’s partnership with the CPPA is unique. Unlike state attorneys general offices that enforce all state laws and regulations, the CPPA is an agency dedicated exclusively to protecting consumers’ privacy rights. This collaboration will allow the agencies to align their efforts to protect consumer privacy, inform businesses and consumers about privacy rights and obligations, and enforce privacy laws. The MOU affirms that the FCC and CPPA “share close and common legal interests in working cooperatively to investigate and, where appropriate, prosecute or otherwise take enforcement action in relation to privacy, data protection, or cybersecurity issues.”