TL;DR: Starting January 1, 2026, California residents can submit a single deletion request through the DROP (Delete Request and Opt-out Platform) that reaches every registered data broker. No more submitting dozens of individual requests. One form, one time, and data brokers have until August 2026 to start deleting. It's free, it's official, and it's the most powerful data deletion tool any state has ever created.
Why This Matters Right Now
Data brokers sell your information to anyone who pays. That includes advertisers, scammers, stalkers, and government agencies like ICE.
Under the current administration, data brokers have signed contracts worth tens of millions of dollars to help locate people for deportation. Your address, phone number, family connections, employment history. All of it is for sale. ICE buys it. So do bounty hunters using AI agents to map immigrant family networks.
California's DELETE Act is the first tool that lets you fight back at scale. One request. Every data broker. Delete everything they have on you.
If you're in California, or can establish California residency, this is the single most effective thing you can do to reduce your exposure to the surveillance apparatus.
What Is DROP?
DROP stands for Delete Request and Opt-out Platform. It's a free, state-administered system run by the California Privacy Protection Agency (CalPrivacy) [1].
What it does:
- Lets you submit a single deletion request
- Sends that request to every registered data broker in California
- Data brokers must check for new requests at least every 45 days
- They have 45 days to process your request once received
- Penalties for non-compliance: $200/day per consumer
Before DROP, you had to submit individual requests to hundreds of data brokers. Each had different forms, different requirements, different timelines. Most people gave up after a few.
DROP changes that. One form reaches them all.
Important Dates
January 1, 2026
DROP platform launches. California residents can submit deletion requests.
January 31, 2026
Data broker registration deadline. Unregistered brokers face $200/day fines.
August 1, 2026
Data brokers must begin processing DROP requests. They must check the platform at least every 45 days and respond within 45 days of receiving a request.
Ongoing
You can submit new requests anytime. Data brokers continue collecting. This isn't a one-time fix.
Who Can Use DROP?
You must be a California resident. That's the only requirement.
No citizenship requirement. No documentation beyond proving residency. If you live in California, you're covered by the California Consumer Privacy Act and the DELETE Act.
What counts as California residency:
- Your primary residence is in California
- You have a California driver's license or state ID
- You're registered to vote in California
- You file California state taxes
If you're not in California: Consider whether establishing residency is worth it for privacy protection. Some people maintain California residency specifically for CCPA rights. This is a personal decision with tax and legal implications. Consult appropriate professionals.
How to Use DROP (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Gather Your Information
Before you submit, collect the identifiers data brokers might have on you:
- Full legal name (and any previous names)
- Date of birth
- Current phone number(s)
- Email address(es)
- Current and previous addresses
- Mobile Advertising IDs (MAIDs) (optional but recommended)
Finding your Mobile Advertising ID:
- iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking → See your Identifier
- Android: Settings → Google → Ads → Your advertising ID
Why include more information? The more identifiers you provide, the more likely data brokers can find you in their systems. If you only give your name, they might not match you. Give them everything they might have on you.
Step 2: Access the DROP Platform
Starting January 1, 2026:
- Go to privacy.ca.gov/drop
- Verify your California residency
- Create an account (or submit as a guest)
Step 3: Submit Your Deletion Request
- Enter all the personal information you gathered
- Review what you're submitting
- Submit the request
- Save your confirmation (you'll receive immediate confirmation)
Step 4: Wait for Processing
Your request goes to every registered data broker. Starting August 1, 2026:
- Brokers must check for new requests every 45 days minimum
- They have 45 days to process after receiving your request
- They must report what action they took within 90 days
Step 5: Repeat Periodically
This is not a one-time fix. Data brokers continuously collect new information. You'll need to submit new requests periodically, every 6-12 months at minimum.
What Gets Deleted (And What Doesn't)
Data Brokers Must Delete:
- Your name, address, phone number, email
- Behavioral data (browsing history, purchase patterns)
- Financial-related data they've collected
- Health-related data
- Location data and movement patterns
- Relationship data (family connections, associates)
- Inferences about your lifestyle, income, political beliefs, religion
Exempt From Deletion:
- Public government records (property records, court filings)
- Data needed for legal compliance
- Data from direct business relationships (your bank, your employer)
- News and journalistic content
The catch: Data brokers often have multiple sources. They might delete what they have, then re-acquire it from another broker who hasn't processed your request yet. This is why repeated requests are necessary.
What Happens If Data Brokers Don't Comply?
California isn't messing around. The DELETE Act includes real penalties [2]:
- $200 per day for failure to register as a data broker
- $200 per day per consumer for failure to process deletion requests
- Enforcement Strike Force launched November 2025 specifically to pursue violators
CalPrivacy has already fined data brokers for registration violations. They're building case law before DROP even launches.
December 2025 enforcement action: CalPrivacy fined ROR Partners, a Nevada marketing firm, for selling "custom audiences" without data broker registration. The message: "a sale is a sale." You can't bundle data sales with advertising services to dodge the law [3].
Maximize Your Protection
Before Using DROP
• Start manual opt-outs now. Don't wait for August 2026
• Document what data brokers currently have on you
• Search yourself on people-search sites
• Freeze your credit at all three bureaus
• Review privacy settings on all accounts
When Using DROP
• Include ALL identifiers you can find
• Use all email addresses you've ever had
• Include old addresses
• Add your mobile advertising ID
• Save all confirmations
After Using DROP
• Set calendar reminder to resubmit in 6 months
• Monitor people-search sites for reappearance
• Continue digital hygiene practices (see related guides below)
• Reduce new data collection going forward
• Manual opt-outs for non-California brokers
What DROP Won't Do
Be realistic about limitations:
- Won't stop future collection: Data brokers will keep gathering data. DROP deletes what they have now, not what they'll get tomorrow.
- Won't reach all brokers: Only registered California data brokers are covered. Unregistered brokers, brokers in other states, and international brokers aren't affected.
- Won't delete government records: Property records, court filings, voter registration: these stay public.
- Won't immediately protect you: Processing starts August 2026. Until then, your data is still out there.
- Won't be instantaneous: Brokers have 45 days to process. Deletion happens slowly.
DROP is a tool, not a solution. It's the most powerful deletion tool available, but it's one part of a broader privacy strategy.
Why This Matters Now
This isn't about marketing. It's about survival.
The current administration has allocated up to $180 million for bounty hunters to locate approximately 1.5 million people. They're using facial recognition, license plate readers, and AI tracking tools.
Data brokers are part of that infrastructure. They sell location data, family connections, and employment records to ICE. When you remove yourself from data broker databases, you're making yourself harder to find.
DROP won't make you invisible. But it will make the surveillance apparatus work harder. In a system designed for efficiency, friction matters.
The Bottom Line
On January 1, 2026, California becomes the first state where you can delete your data from every data broker with a single request.
This is unprecedented. No other jurisdiction offers anything like it. If you're a California resident, or can become one, DROP is the most powerful privacy tool available to ordinary people.
Use it. Use it on day one. Then use it again every six months. Data brokers have built a $250 billion industry selling your information. DROP is how you take some of it back.
Bookmark this: privacy.ca.gov/drop
January 1, 2026. Mark your calendar.