Beginning August 1, hundreds of companies will be required to start deleting Californians’ personal information when requested through a new statewide system
by the El Reportero Staff
For years, thousands of companies have made money collecting, buying and selling the personal information of millions of Americans. In many cases, consumers never knew who had their data, how it was obtained or with whom it was shared.
Now California is putting into motion one of the most ambitious privacy laws in the nation.
Although the Delete Act (SB 362) was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2023 and the state’s DROP (Delete Request and Opt-out Platform) began accepting requests earlier this year, the law is now entering its most important stage of implementation. Beginning Aug. 1, data brokers registered in California will be required to begin processing consumer requests to delete personal information, turning what had been a preparatory phase into a legal obligation.
The measure could benefit millions of residents who want to reduce the amount of personal information circulating in the vast data marketplace, where it is used for targeted advertising, commercial profiling and other marketing activities.
A business few people know about
So-called data brokers are companies that specialize in collecting information about individuals and selling it to other businesses.
Most consumers have never done business directly with them, but that does not mean these companies do not have information about their lives.
Data brokers obtain information from multiple sources, including public records, retail loyalty programs, mobile apps, websites, social media, shopping histories, commercial databases and exchanges with other companies in the data industry.
The information they collect may include names, home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, age, approximate location, purchase histories, personal interests and even inferred consumer habits.
One request reaches hundreds of companies
Until recently, consumers who wanted their information removed had to locate each data broker individually and submit separate requests.
The process could take hours or even days.
With the state’s DROP platform, California has centralized that process.
Now consumers need only complete a single request, which is automatically sent to registered data brokers across the state, eliminating the need to contact hundreds of companies one by one.
Before submitting a request, users must verify their identity through methods approved by the California Privacy Protection Agency to prevent unauthorized individuals from deleting someone else’s information.
What really changes in August
The launch of the platform in January was only the first step.
The real change begins Aug. 1, when compliance becomes mandatory for data brokers.
Starting that day, registered companies must regularly review incoming requests, delete information when required under the law and report their compliance to state authorities within established deadlines.
Companies that fail to comply may face administrative investigations and financial penalties.
It won’t erase everything from the internet
The new tool does not erase all information about an individual.
News articles, court records, public documents and other information that must legally remain available will not disappear.
Nor does it automatically delete information maintained by businesses with which consumers have an ongoing relationship.
Its purpose is much more specific: reducing the collection, sharing and sale of personal information among California’s registered data brokers.
An added layer of protection
Privacy advocates say the law may be especially valuable for people concerned about their safety, including victims of domestic violence, journalists, public officials, activists and anyone who wants to limit the distribution of personal information.
The law also represents an important step toward giving consumers greater control over data that has circulated among companies for years without many people realizing it.
California already has some of the nation’s strongest privacy protections, and the Delete Act expands those rights by making it significantly easier for residents to exercise them.
How to submit a request
Residents may access the official DROP portal, verify their identity and complete a single deletion request.
Once submitted, the system automatically distributes the request to registered data brokers, which must respond within the timeframes established by law.
State officials recommend keeping the tracking number to monitor the status of the request and updating contact information whenever necessary.
While no system can completely erase a person’s digital footprint, privacy advocates believe this new tool represents one of the most significant advances in the United States for limiting the commercial trade of personal information and giving individuals greater control over their personal data.
Sources: California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA); CalMatters; California Legislature (Delete Act, SB 362); California Civil Code.
