Data broker hoarding is rampant. New law lets consumers fight back.

California’s new Delete, Reduce, and Opt-out platform law has taken effect, giving residents a streamlined way to compel data brokers to delete their information. According to the California Privacy Protection Agency, more than 500 brokers actively scour sources for personal data to sell to marketers, private investigators, and others.

The law, known as DROP (Delete Request and Opt-out Platform), allows residents to register a single demand for data deletion that brokers must action, with 45 days to report status starting in August. The article notes that the older Delete Act required individuals to file separate requests with each broker, which contributed to very low uptake in its first year.

A personal test of the DROP site described a roughly 15-minute process to provide residency proof and other data, after which the site forwards the request to all brokers. It remains to be seen whether other states follow California’s lead as concerns about data-hoarding persist. 5 January 2026.