California has moved to address claims brought under the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) tied to website tracking — but the state's response leaves part of that litigation landscape untouched.

For photography businesses that run portfolio sites, client galleries or e-commerce checkout flows, CIPA lawsuits have become a familiar expense. Plaintiffs have used the statute, originally written for wiretapping, to target website technologies that track user behavior — session-replay tools, chat widgets and analytics pixels among them.

What did California actually do?

The state addressed website claims under CIPA — a step operators and their counsel have sought as filings multiplied — yet it did not resolve every category of claim. The partial fix means some tracking-adjacent lawsuits can still proceed.

That distinction matters for studios deciding which third-party tools to embed. A ruling or legislative change that covers some claims but not others leaves residual exposure for site owners who rely on chat functions, form analytics or marketing pixels.

Why does this matter for photo businesses?

Photography studios operate the same class of websites that CIPA plaintiffs target: public portfolios, proofing galleries and booking flows that frequently carry embedded tracking scripts. Any unpaid-for-now category of claim keeps that exposure alive.

The practical takeaway for working photographers:

• Audit which third-party scripts run on your client-facing pages.
• Ask vendors of chat and analytics tools whether their products fall within the addressed claim categories.
• Review consent banners and privacy policies with counsel familiar with California law.

What comes next?

Expect further clarification efforts, either through additional legislative amendments or appellate decisions, as courts and lawmakers sort out which CIPA website theories survive. Photography businesses with California clients should treat this as a moving target and revisit their site tooling as the remaining claims work through the system.