California hits Healthline with record $1.55M fine under CCPA

In July, the California Attorney General reached a record $1.55 million settlement with Healthline, the largest fine to date under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The enforcement followed allegations that Healthline shared personal data with advertisers, even after users had opted out. 

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In addition to the record-setting fine, this is also considered the first time the purpose limitation principle, which requires organizations to be transparent on why they collect user data, is at the center of data privacy allegations. 

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As part of the settlement, Healthline must launch a comprehensive CCPA compliance program, ensure opt-out tools function correctly, review all third-party contracts, and report annually to the attorney general for the next three years. This significant settlement marks the first health-related CCPA action and reinforces California’s focus on cookie practices, data sharing, and purpose limitation, particularly for publishers handling sensitive health-related content.