California Introduces One-Stop Shop to Remove Your Data Footprint Online

Californians can now stop the sale of their personal data on an online trading floor, thanks to a new free tool. On January 1, the state launched its Deletion and Opt-Out Request Platform, abbreviated as DROPwhich allows residents to request online deletion of all their personal information collected by data brokers.

According to the California Privacy Agency (CalPrivacy), responsible for the release of DROP, it is a “first of its kind” tool that imposes new restrictions on companies that accumulate and sell personal information that consumers have not provided directly. The process requires verifying your California residency before you can send a “one-time deletion request to each California-registered data broker.”

On the other end, CalPrivacy will require data brokers to register each year and process any requests for DROP deletion. Data brokers will also have to declare the type of information they collect and share, while being subject to regular audits that check their compliance. If a data broker does not comply with the requirements, they are subject to sanctions and fines.

In addition to being the first in the country to offer this type of comprehensive tool for deleting personal data online, CalPrivacy said it is one of four states, including Oregon, Texas and Vermont, to require registration of a data broker. According to the agency, data brokers will begin processing the first DROP removal requests starting August 1, 2026.