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World desk4 min

How California’s Delete Act Helps You Remove Data Broker Records

California’s DROP lets residents send one deletion request to participating data brokers—but it does not erase first-party, public, or legally exempt information.
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California residents can use the state’s Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP) to send one request to participating data brokers. When a broker matches you, it must delete the non-exempt personal information it holds about you. DROP does not erase all personal data across the internet: it does not cover information you gave directly to a business, publicly available information, or information protected by legal exemptions.

What the Delete Act and DROP do

California’s Delete Act, Senate Bill 362, directs the California Privacy Protection Agency (CalPrivacy, also known as CPPA) to provide a single mechanism for consumers to request deletion of non-exempt personal information held by registered data brokers. The agency calls that mechanism the Delete Request and Opt-out Platform, or DROP. The implementing regulations took effect January 1, 2026. CalPrivacy regulations

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A data broker is not simply any company that has your information. In the agency’s summary, it is a business that knowingly collects and sells consumers’ personal information to third parties when it has no direct relationship with those consumers. CalPrivacy data broker guidance

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DROP began accepting consumer requests in January 2026. Brokers began processing them on August 1, 2026. Since then, brokers must access DROP at least once every 45 days, process requests, and report request status. The schedule is not an instant-deletion guarantee: the agency says consumers may wait as long as 90 days for status updates to appear. CalPrivacy announcement, November 13, 2025 CalPrivacy consumer guide

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How to submit a DROP request

  1. Open the official DROP platform. Verify California residency through the California Identity Gateway. State-contracted identity-verification vendors assist with residency checks. Official DROP platform CalPrivacy DROP consumer guide
  2. Enter identifiers you are comfortable providing. The guide lists current and former names, date of birth, ZIP code, email addresses, phone numbers, mobile advertising IDs, connected-TV IDs, and vehicle identification numbers. Accurate identifiers can improve the chance a broker will match your request to its records; you choose which optional information to submit.
  3. Review and submit one person’s request. Do not include other people’s personal information in your request. The platform terms say submitted information is disclosed to data brokers receiving the request to facilitate deletion and opt-out requests. DROP platform terms
  4. Save your eight-digit DROP ID privately. Use it to check the request’s status. If your name, contact details, device, or car changes, the consumer guide says you can update your profile and add identifiers.
  5. Check status after brokers have time to process. Requests may remain pending while a broker has not yet processed them, and updates can take up to 90 days to appear.

What each request status means

Status Meaning What to do
Deleted The broker matched you and deleted the non-exempt information it holds about you. Review other brokers’ statuses; this result concerns the reporting broker.
Exempted The broker has information about you but may retain it under a statutory exemption. Read the broker’s explanation, if provided; DROP does not override legal exemptions.
Opted-out The broker could not make an exact match. It still has the data, but may no longer sell or share it. Do not treat this as a deletion. Consider whether adding accurate identifiers could help matching.
Record not found The broker has no information about you or could not locate a record using the identifiers submitted. If you believe it may have records, update your profile with accurate identifiers and check again.
Pending The broker has not processed the request yet. Allow time for processing and check again for an update.

These status definitions come from CalPrivacy’s consumer guide. In particular, “Opted-out” and “Record not found” do not establish that the broker deleted all information about you.

What DROP can and cannot remove

Information held by participating data brokers

When a broker matches your request, it must delete the non-exempt personal information it holds about you—not only the identifiers you typed into DROP. If it cannot find an exact match, it must retain the request and take steps to keep your information out of its systems. CalPrivacy describes DROP as an ongoing system, rather than a one-time request that applies only on the day you submit it. CalPrivacy consumer guide

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Information outside the described deletion requirement

  • Information you gave directly to a business with which you have a first-party relationship.
  • Publicly available information.
  • Information a broker is legally exempt from deleting.
  • Information held by businesses that are not data brokers covered by the system.

That scope is why DROP is not a universal internet-removal tool. A successful broker deletion does not mean every copy, public record, or first-party account containing your information has disappeared.

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Information you submit to make the request

Using DROP requires providing personal information so the platform can route deletion and opt-out requests. The platform terms say the information you submit is disclosed to the brokers receiving your request. Review the current platform terms and incorporated privacy policy for details about the platform’s handling of submitted information.

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What happens if a broker does not comply?

CalPrivacy’s current broker guidance states that a broker that fails to delete information as required may face a penalty of $200 per day per deletion request for each day of noncompliance, plus investigation and administrative costs. This is an enforcement provision, not a promise of immediate deletion for every request. CalPrivacy data broker guidance

The agency also says brokers must report request status within 45 days of retrieving a request and maintain deletion-request lists to help keep information deleted over time. CalPrivacy announcement, November 13, 2025

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