Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP)

What Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP) is

Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP) is a free web service for California residents who want to ask data brokers to delete their personal information and stop selling or sharing it. A single request can reach over 600 registered brokers. To start, users provide a name, date of birth, and ZIP code; they may add more information later. Mobile advertising IDs, connected TV IDs, and vehicle identification numbers are optional. After initial processing, brokers must check again for matching information and remove new matches at least every 45 days, and they have up to 90 days to report how they handled a request. Users can update their profile and add information once every 45 days. DROP says it uses submitted information only to process requests and stores it in a secure, unreadable hashed format. Residency checks are handled through the California Identity Gateway, and DROP says it does not keep the information used for that verification. The service does not require removal of information given directly to a business, publicly available information, or information legally exempt from deletion. CalPrivacy, the California Privacy Protection Agency, was created in 2020 to protect California consumers’ privacy rights.