California Voters Approve Plan to Fortify Online Privacy Rules

California voters approved a proposal to buttress the state’s online privacy protections, which were already the most robust in the country, and increase fines for companies that violate certain rules.

The measure will create a new state enforcement agency and make it harder for lawmakers to make changes to the rules. It also gives California residents more power to restrict how companies can use their personal data and raises fines for invasions of children’s privacy. The initiative, known as Proposition 24, passed 56 to 44.

Technology companies mostly stayed on the sidelines for Prop 24, while privacy advocates were split. ...