One Click to Disappear: California DROP Tool Targets 500+ Data Brokers
The California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) launched DROP, a free tool to delete your personal information from 500+ data brokers. Learn how this automated privacy platform works.
Your personal data is currently sitting in the databases of hundreds of companies you’ve never heard of. California is changing that with a single click. The California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) has officially launched DROP—the Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform. This free, first-of-its-kind tool empowers residents to purge their information from more than 500 registered data brokers in a single submission, shifting the power back to the individual.
How the California DROP Tool Enforces Privacy
According to the CPPA, the service went live on January 1, 2026. It effectively ends the tedious process of manually contacting individual firms to opt-out. Once a request is filed via DROP, data brokers are legally mandated to delete the user's data within 90 days. Furthermore, they must repeat this deletion every 45 days to ensure the consumer's records aren't simply re-acquired and resold.
| Feature | Traditional Method | DROP Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Effort | Contact 500+ sites individually | Single submission |
| Cost | Often requires paid services | Free for residents |
| Persistence | Manual follow-ups needed | Automatic 45-day refresh |
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