New DROP privacy tool helps California residents to stop data brokers from selling their personal information
California’s DROP program is now active, giving Californians the ability to stop data brokers from selling their personal information.
DROP, which stands for Delete Request and Opt-out Platform, is a one-stop site to submit a data deletion request, requiring data brokers to delete your information.
How do I prevent my personal information from being sold?
To access the tool, go to privacy.ca.gov, and hit the “Get started” button.
Fill out some basic information, including your name, address and email, and hit submit.
Then, more than 500 data brokers will be asked to delete your information.
Data brokers are businesses that gather consumer information to sell to buyers, which can create potential privacy risks when malicious actors misuse consumer data.
The California Privacy Protection Agency was directed to build DROP after the California Delete Act became law in October 2023. The new DROP program launched on Jan. 1, 2026.
DROP only covers registered data brokers in California, so it’s important to still be careful about giving out personal information, especially online.
Deletion requests will start to be processed by data brokers in August 2026.
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