{"id":43003,"date":"2026-02-23T07:48:58","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T07:48:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fastestvpn.com\/blogs\/?p=43003"},"modified":"2026-02-23T07:48:58","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T07:48:58","slug":"california-delete-act-drop-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fastestvpn.com\/blogs\/california-delete-act-drop-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Delete Act and DROP: Get Your Info Deleted from Data Brokers","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

Data brokers grab your name, address, phone number, and shopping habits every day. They buy this information from stores, apps, and public lists. Then they sell it to advertisers and other companies. You start getting spam calls and creepy ads. Sometimes scammers get hold of it too. <\/span>California stepped up and made things easier. They created the Delete Act and DROP. Now you can wipe your non-exempt personal info from hundreds of brokers with one request. No more hunting down each company yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Why Brokers Collect Your Information in the First Place<\/h2>\n

You never signed up with most of these brokers. They pull info from voter rolls, property records, and online trackers. They mix it all together and build a full picture of you. Then they sell that picture. You might pay more for insurance because of what they think you earn. Or you get calls from people who already know where you live. The Delete Act and DROP stop a lot of this hidden selling.<\/span><\/p>\n

How the Delete Act and DROP Started<\/h2>\n

California passed the CCPA back in 2018. It gave you the right to ask for your data back. But you had to contact every single broker one by one. Most people got tired and quit. In 2019, brokers had to register their names and sites. Then, in 2023, lawmakers passed the Delete Act and DROP to fix the hassle. The law tells the California Privacy Protection Agency to build one central system. Brokers must join it every year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Starting in 2028, they also need outside audits every three years. The Delete Act and DROP cover regular personal info. It does not touch exempt data like certain health or court records.<\/span><\/p>\n

What DROP Really Does<\/h3>\n

DROP stands for Data Broker Requests and Opt-Out Platform. It is a free state website. You visit once, prove you live in California, type in your details, and click send. Your request goes to every registered broker at the same time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Brokers have to check the system every 45 days after August 1, 2026. When they find you, they delete the matching info and stop selling it. The Delete Act and DROP keep running in the background. New data that shows up later gets cleaned too if it matches.<\/span><\/p>\n

How to Use Delete Act and DROP<\/h3>\n