Existing law makes it unlawful for any person doing business in California and advertising to consumers in California to make any false or misleading advertising claim. Existing law makes a person who violates specified false advertising provisions liable for a civil penalty, as specified, and provides that a person who violates those false advertising provisions is guilty of a misdemeanor.
This bill would would, subject to specified exceptions, additionally prohibit a person from advertising or offering for sale a digital good, as defined, with the terms “buy,” “purchase,” or any other term which a reasonable person would understand to confer an
unrestricted ownership interest in the digital good, or alongside an option for a time-limited rental, unless the digital good may be downloaded to an external storage source to be used without a connection to the internet or
the seller receives at the time of each transaction an affirmative acknowledgment from the purchaser, or the seller provides to the consumer before executing each transaction a clear and conspicuous statement, as specified. By expanding the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.