Comcast penalized $33 million in California privacy breach

The California Department of Justice, along with the California Public Utilities Commission, has reached a $33 million settlement with Comcast over allegations that the cable company posted personal information of thousands of customers online, Attorney General Kamala D. Harris said in a statement on Thursday.

According to KSBW.com, as part of the settlement, Comcast must pay $25 million in penalties and investigative costs to the two departments. It will also pay nearly $8 million in additional restitution to customers whose numbers were improperly disclosed.

“Publishing personal information that should have been unlisted is unlawful and a troubling breach of privacy,” Attorney General Harris said. “This settlement provides meaningful relief to victims, brings greater transparency to Comcast’s privacy practices and sends a message that violations of consumers’ privacy will result in significant penalties.”

Comcast is in the process to refund all fees paid for unlisted service by the approximately 75,000 customers whose information was improperly disclosed over a two-year period, totalling more than $2 million. The company will pay each of these customers $100 on top of the refund, totalling an additional $7.5 million.

As part of the stipulated judgment filed in Alameda Superior Court, the company has agreed to a permanent injunction that requires the company to improve handling of customer complaints and to strengthen the restrictions it places on its vendors’ use of personal information about customers.