California residents can use new tool to demand brokers delete their personal data

Residents in California now have a new tool at their disposal to control the storage and sale of their personal information by data brokers.

Previously, residents had to individually opt out with each company to stop the collection and sale of their data. The Delete Act, passed in 2023, aimed to simplify this process by allowing residents to make a single request for over 500 registered data brokers to delete their information.

The Delete Requests and Opt-Out Platform (DROP) now enables California residents to submit a deletion request, which will be sent to all current and future data brokers registered in the state.

While data deletion may not happen immediately, brokers are required to start processing requests in August 2026 and have 90 days to complete the process. Users can provide additional information if their data is not deleted initially.

Companies can retain first-party data collected from users, but data brokers dealing with sensitive information like social security numbers and browsing histories must delete it.

Certain data, such as vehicle registration and voter records, are exempt from deletion, while medical information may be protected under other laws like HIPAA.

The California Privacy Protection Agency believes that this tool will empower residents to manage their data better, reducing unwanted communications and decreasing the risk of identity theft or data breaches.

Data brokers failing to register or delete requested consumer data may face a penalty of $200 per day, along with enforcement costs, according to the agency.