Our customers, their suppliers, and other users store personal and business information, financial information, and other sensitive information on our platform. In addition, we receive, store, and process personal and business information and other data from and about actual and prospective customers and users, in addition to our employees and service providers. Our handling of data is subject to a variety of laws and regulations, including regulation by various government agencies, such as the FTC, and various state, local, and foreign agencies. Our data handling also is subject to contractual obligations and industry standards.
The U.S. federal and various state and foreign governments have adopted or proposed limitations on the collection, distribution, use, and storage of data relating to individuals and businesses, including the use of contact information and other data for marketing, advertising, and other communications with individuals and businesses. In the U.S., various laws and regulations apply to the collection, processing, disclosure, and security of certain types of data, including the Gramm Leach Bliley Act (GLBA) and state laws relating to privacy and data security. GLBA requires financial institutions to explain their information sharing practices to their customers and to safeguard sensitive data. Additionally, the FTC and many state attorneys general are interpreting federal and state consumer protection laws as imposing standards for the online collection, use, dissemination, and security of data. For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which broadly defines personal information, gives California residents expanded privacy rights and protections, including the right to opt out of certain personal information sharing, the use of "sensitive personal information," and the use of personal information for automated decision-making or targeted advertising and provides for civil penalties for violations and a private right of action for data breaches. Many aspects of the CCPA remain unclear, and its full impact on our business and operations remains uncertain. Following the lead of California, over a third of U.S. states, including Colorado, Virginia, and Texas have enacted laws similar to the CCPA and several other states are considering enacting similarly comprehensive consumer privacy laws as well. Accordingly, the laws and regulations relating to privacy, data protection, and information security are evolving, can be subject to significant change, and may result in ever-increasing regulatory and public scrutiny and escalating levels of enforcement and sanctions.
In addition, several foreign countries and governmental bodies, including the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK), have laws and regulations dealing with the handling and processing of personal information, which in certain cases are more restrictive than those in the U.S. Laws and regulations in these jurisdictions apply broadly to the collection, use, storage, disclosure, and security of various types of data, including data that identifies or may be used to identify an individual, such as names, email addresses, and internet protocol addresses. Our current and prospective service offerings subject us to the GDPR, Australian and Canadian privacy laws, and the privacy laws of many other foreign jurisdictions. Such laws and regulations may be modified or subject to new or different interpretations, and new laws and regulations may be enacted in the future.
For example, the GDPR imposes stringent operational requirements for controllers and processors of personal data of individuals within the European Economic Area and the UK, respectively, and non-compliance can trigger robust regulatory enforcement and fines of up to the greater of €20 million or 4% of the annual global revenues. Among other requirements, GDPR regulates transfers of personal data to third countries that have not been found to provide adequate protection to such personal data, including the United States. The efficacy and longevity of current transfer mechanisms between the EU or the UK and the United States remains uncertain. Violations of the GDPR may also lead to damages claims by data controllers and data subjects, in addition to civil litigation claims by data controllers, customers, and data subjects.
The scope and interpretation of the laws that are or may be applicable to us are often uncertain and may be conflicting as a result of the rapidly evolving regulatory framework for privacy issues worldwide. For example, laws relating to the liability of providers of online services for activities of their users and other third parties are currently being tested by a number of claims, including actions based on invasion of privacy and other torts, unfair competition, copyright and trademark infringement, and other theories based on the nature and content of the materials searched, the ads posted, or the content provided by users. As a result of the laws that are or may be applicable to us, and due to the sensitive nature of the information we collect, we have implemented policies and procedures to preserve and protect our data and our customers' data against loss, misuse, corruption, misappropriation caused by systems failures, or unauthorized access. If our policies, procedures, or measures relating to privacy, data protection, information security, marketing, or customer communications fail to comply with laws, regulations, policies, legal obligations, or industry standards, we may be subject to governmental enforcement actions, litigation, regulatory investigations, fines, penalties, and negative publicity, and it could cause our application providers, customers, and partners to lose trust in us, and have an adverse effect on our business, operating results, and financial condition.
In addition to government regulation, privacy advocates and industry groups may propose new and different self-regulatory standards that may apply to us. Because the interpretation and application of privacy, data protection and information security laws, regulations, rules, and other standards are still uncertain, it is possible that these laws, rules, regulations, and other actual or alleged legal obligations, such as contractual or self-regulatory obligations, may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent with our existing data management practices or the functionality of our platform. If so, in addition to the possibility of fines, lawsuits, and other claims, we could be required to fundamentally change our business activities and practices or modify our software, which could have an adverse effect on our business.
Any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with laws, regulations, policies, legal, or contractual obligations, industry standards, or regulatory guidance relating to privacy, data protection, or information security, may result in governmental investigations and enforcement actions, litigation, fines and penalties, or adverse publicity, and could cause our customers and partners to lose trust in us, which could have an adverse effect on our reputation and business. We expect that there will continue to be new proposed laws, regulations, and industry standards relating to privacy, data protection, information security, marketing, and consumer communications, and we cannot determine the impact such future laws, regulations, and standards may have on our business. Future laws, regulations, standards, and other obligations or any changed interpretation of existing laws or regulations could impair our ability to develop and market new functionality and maintain and grow our customer base and increase revenue. Future restrictions on the collection, use, sharing, or disclosure of data, or additional requirements for express or implied consent of our customers, partners, or users for the use and disclosure of such information could require us to incur additional costs or modify our platform, possibly in a material manner, and could limit our ability to develop new functionality.
If we are not able to comply with these laws or regulations, or if we become liable under these laws or regulations, our business, financial condition, or reputation could be harmed, and we may be forced to implement new measures to reduce our exposure to this liability. This may require us to expend substantial resources or to discontinue certain products, which would negatively affect our business, financial condition,and operating results. In addition, the increased attention focused upon liability issues as a result of lawsuits and legislative proposals could harm our reputation or otherwise adversely affect the growth of our business. Furthermore, any costs incurred as a result of this potential liability could harm our operating results.