39 Million Californians Can Now Legally Demand Data Brokers Delete Their Personal Data

California residents have had the right to demand companies stop collecting and selling their data since 2020, but the process used to be laborious and required opting out with each individual company. However, a new platform called the Delete Requests and Opt-Out Platform, or DROP, has been introduced to simplify the process. With DROP, Californians can make a single request to delete their information from over 500 registered data brokers. To use the platform, users must verify that they are California residents, after which they can submit a deletion request that will be sent to all current and future registered data brokers. The request will be processed by the brokers, who will have 90 days to delete the data and report back. If the brokers are unable to locate the user's records, they can submit additional information to help with the process. Companies will still be allowed to keep first-party data that they have collected from users, but data brokers who buy or sell data will be required to delete it. The data that will be deleted includes sensitive information such as social security numbers, browsing history, email addresses, and phone numbers. The California Privacy Protection Agency believes that the DROP platform will give residents more control over their data and reduce the risk of identity theft, fraud, and data leaks. By using the DROP platform, Californians can also expect to receive fewer unwanted texts, calls, and emails, and have more protection against AI impersonations and data hacking.