Californians can now use DROP tool to have their information deleted

The State of California has given its residents a brand-new tool to have their personal information collected by data brokers deleted and removed.

It’s called DROP, which is an acronym that stands for Delete Requests and Opt-Out Platform.

According to the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA), a state government agency established by the California Privacy Rights Act, the DROP tool empowers Californians to exercise greater control over their data.

“Using DROP helps you limit the information data brokers collect and sell about you,” the agency says on its website.

In addition, it reduces the number of unwanted text messages, calls, and emails, and offers greater security because it decreases the risk of identity theft, fraud, and data breaches.

To submit a delete request using the DROP tool, you’ll have to go through three steps. First, you have to verify your eligibility and confirm that you’re a California resident. To determine your residency, you can use the location of your residence, provide information that the State of California issued your driver’s license, or the state where you’re registered to vote.

Once your eligibility has been established, you’ll have to create a profile and provide basic information about yourself, such as name, date of birth, ZIP code, phone number, vehicle identification numbers (VINs), or connected TV IDs. The information you provide is optional, but the more information you enter, the more likely your data will be deleted.

Lastly, DROP lets you send your delete request to over 500 registered data brokers.

Data brokers must delete your data within 90 days, starting August 1st, 2026. If they don’t delete your data, you’ll have the option to submit additional information that may help them locate your records.

This doesn’t mean that all your data will be deleted. Personal and sensitive information, such as your phone number, email address, social security number, geolocation, browsing history, interests, shopping habits, and health-related information, has to be removed by data brokers.

However, they are allowed to keep first-party data: customer information that a company has collected directly, without the intervention of a third-party, and with the customer’s consent. Data categories like vehicle registration or voter records are exempt from deletion because this information is publicly available.

Data brokers that refuse to comply with your data removal request risk a fine of $200 per day, plus enforcement costs.