CALIFORNIA STATE – California residents are about to gain a powerful new weapon against companies that collect and sell their personal information.
Beginning August 1, hundreds of data brokers will be legally required to start processing requests submitted through California’s new Delete Request and Opt-out Platform, better known as DROP.
The free state-run system allows Californians to send a single request directing registered data brokers to delete their personal information and stop selling or sharing it.
Previously, consumers generally had to identify data brokers individually, navigate each company’s privacy system and submit separate requests — a process that could take hours and still miss many companies holding their information.
DROP turns that into a single online request. Here’s how to use it.
What Changes on August 1?
Californians have been able to submit DROP requests since January 1, 2026. However, August 1 is when data brokers become legally obligated to begin retrieving and processing them.
Registered data brokers must check the platform at least once every 45 days. When a broker finds information matching a consumer’s request, it must delete the associated personal data unless a legal exemption applies.
That includes not only information collected directly about a person, but also “inferences” — conclusions companies may have drawn about someone’s income, interests, habits, family situation or likely purchasing behavior.
Data brokers must also keep track of deletion requests so that the information remains deleted. If they later collect new information about the same person, they generally must delete it again during subsequent 45-day processing cycles.
More than 300,000 Californians have reportedly already submitted requests ahead of the August deadline.
What Kind of Information Do Data Brokers Collect?
Data brokers assemble information from sources such as websites, mobile apps, purchases, property records and other databases.
The resulting profiles can include details such as:
- Home addresses and previous residences
- Phone numbers and email addresses
- Employment and education history
- Family members and relationship status
- Shopping habits and online interests
- Estimated income or financial characteristics
- Location information
- Advertising identifiers connected to phones and other devices
That information may be packaged, analyzed and sold for advertising, fraud prevention, background checks or other commercial purposes.
The concern for privacy advocates is that consumers often have little idea which brokers possess their information, where it originated or who may ultimately purchase it. Also, the information might be wrong.
How Californians Can Use DROP
Residents can visit California’s official DROP website, accept the platform’s terms and verify that they live in California. Here’s the site: https://privacy.ca.gov/drop/
Users then create a profile containing information that can help data brokers locate matching records. Providing accurate details increases the likelihood that a broker can identify and delete the correct information.
The system may also allow consumers to add identifiers connected to devices or vehicles. Those details are optional and can be added later.
Once the request is submitted, the platform distributes it to registered data brokers. Users can return to their accounts to check the status or update their information after moving, changing phone numbers or purchasing a different vehicle.
The service is free.
Does DROP Remove Everything About You Online?
No.
DROP applies primarily to businesses that qualify as data brokers and are subject to California’s registration requirements. It does not function as a universal internet eraser.
The platform will not necessarily remove information from news articles, government records, social media profiles, court filings or every website where someone’s name appears.
Legal exemptions may also allow certain information to be retained. A company might need to preserve records for fraud prevention, legal compliance, security or other permitted purposes.
DROP is nevertheless significant because it targets an industry that has historically been difficult for ordinary consumers to navigate. Nearly 600 data brokers have reportedly registered with the state.
What Happens if a Data Broker Ignores the Request?
The California Privacy Protection Agency and the state attorney general have authority to enforce the Delete Act.
Data brokers that fail to comply may face financial penalties that continue accumulating while violations remain unresolved.
The law’s author, state Sen. Josh Becker, has described DROP as a “one-stop shop” that allows Californians to regain control of personal information that may otherwise be repeatedly bought and sold without their knowledge.
Residents do not have to submit their requests before August 1. The platform will continue accepting requests after the data-broker processing requirement begins.
But Californians who submit one now can place themselves in line for the first rounds of mandatory deletions.
