Reclaiming your digital privacy in California is getting easier. The state has launched a free tool that simplifies the opt-out process, requiring more than 500 registered data brokers to erase your personal records from their databases.
The California Privacy Protection Agency says the deletion request and opt-out platform (DROP), which launched Thursday, is “the first of its kind.” “It allows users to request the deletion of their data from more than 500 data brokers.
(Credit: Drop)
The tool deals with the business of legal data brokering, where companies collect publicly available information about people (though sometimes it’s more sensitive), and sell it to third parties, including people-finding sites and background check services.
Data brokers typically offer opt-outs for users. The problem is that to properly protect your privacy, you’ll need to manually contact dozens or even hundreds of data brokers and complete their opt-out forms, which is a huge hassle for consumers.
In 2023, California passed the Delete Act, which required the state to create an easy-to-use tool by January 1, 2026, to streamline the deletion process “through a single verifiable consumer request.”
“After years of planning and development, it’s finally ready to launch,” the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPC) wrote in a blog post last month. The law requires all 543 registered data brokers in the state to begin fulfilling data deletion requests by August 1.
There are many data removal services that will wipe your data for you for a fee.
This tool comes on top of a number of paid services that can also help you clean your personal information from the Internet, but for a fee. CPPC hopes the new site will help users fight spam and robocalls while preventing potential identity theft and fraud.
However, the drop site is currently experiencing a technical issue. Using the Site requires you to submit a phone number or email address to receive a verification code. But as of Friday, the site posts a “504” error when it tries to send verification codes.
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Drop site error (Credit: auth.cdt.ca.gov)
The CPPC tells us, “We’re actively working on this issue,” so a fix should be bound. Update: CPPC says the verification code issue has now been fixed.
The drop site requires you to provide your name, physical address and date of birth to verify California residency. The same information must be submitted to registered data brokers to initiate the deletion process. Still, the drop site says: “California Identity Gateway only asks for information needed to verify your identity and program eligibility. We do not store your information.” (You can also register for access through federal login.gov if you have an account there.)
Another downside is that the drop only works for California residents. State privacy protection agencies note that only three other states — Oregon, Texas and Vermont — require data brokers to register. That’s why privacy advocates have urged Congress to pass federal legislation to rein in data brokers with strong controls across the country.
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Michael Kahn
Senior reporter
Experience
I have been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite Internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware and more. I am currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s StarLink satellite Internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also regulatory battles over expanding satellite constellations, battles with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and efforts to expand satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and reached out to remote corners of California to test StarLink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling its personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint Investigation Along with the motherboard
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. Now I’m following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump into the comments with feedback and send me pointers.
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