● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportMedium impact
Virginia enacts law banning sale of geolocation data
Key points
- Virginia bans sale of geolocation data through S.B. 388.
- Effective date is July 1, 2026.
- Virginia joins Maryland and Oregon with similar bans.
New Legislation Signed in Virginia
On April 13, 2026, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed S.B. 388 into law. This law amends the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act to prohibit the sale of geolocation data.
The definition of 'sale' is notably narrower in Virginia's law compared to other states, specifically defining it as the exchange of personal data for monetary consideration to a third party.
Effective Date and Scope
The ban on geolocation data sales will take effect on July 1, 2026, impacting how businesses manage consumer location data.
Virginia's legislation is part of a broader trend as several other states have also proposed similar bans, including California, Massachusetts, and Washington State.
Context and Legislative Trends
Virginia's new law follows regulatory scrutiny regarding the sale of geolocation data, which gained attention after the California Attorney General's investigation in March 2025.
The Federal Trade Commission's 2024 settlement which barred a data broker from this practice has contributed to increased legislative activity in various states.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Reporting from
Virginia has passed a law prohibiting the sale of geolocation data, effective July 1, 2026. This law aligns Virginia with other states like Maryland and Oregon in regulating data privacy amid increasing scrutiny over the sale of location data.