California’s DELETE Act: A New Tool to Help Protect Your Personal Information

California residents now have a new tool to help reduce the amount of personal information collected and sold by data brokers.

Under SB 362, known as the DELETE Act, Californians can use a single statewide system to request that registered data brokers delete personal information associated with them.

What Is a Data Broker?

Data brokers are companies that collect personal information about individuals, often from public records, websites, apps, purchases, and other sources, and then compile or sell that information to other businesses.

Depending on the company, this information may include:

• Your home address

• Phone numbers and email addresses

• Purchasing habits

• Demographic information

• Online activity

• Location-related information

• Consumer profiles and inferred interests

For years, residents who wanted this information removed often had to contact individual companies one at a time.

What Changed?

The DELETE Act created a statewide system called the Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform, or DROP.

Through DROP, a California resident can submit one request directing registered data brokers to delete personal information that can be matched to that individual.

Beginning August 1, 2026, covered data brokers became responsible for regularly checking the system and processing eligible deletion requests.

Why This Matters

Personal information is increasingly collected, shared, and sold without most people fully realizing how widely it may be distributed.

The DELETE Act gives residents another measure of control over that information.

It may be particularly useful for residents who are concerned about identity theft, unwanted solicitations, online privacy, or having personal contact information widely available through commercial databases.

What the Law Does Not Do

The DELETE Act does not erase every record about you.

It generally does not eliminate information contained in government records that must remain public under state or federal law, and certain businesses and categories of information are exempt.

It should therefore be viewed as an important privacy tool, not a guarantee that all personal information will disappear from the internet.

Upland residents can learn more about the DELETE Act, California’s Data Broker Registry, and the DROP system through the California Privacy Protection Agency, the state agency responsible for administering the program:

Official State Website: https://www.cppa.ca.gov/data_brokers/

This is a relatively simple step residents can take to better understand and protect their personal information.

I’ll continue highlighting new state laws and programs that may have a practical impact on Upland residents.

James Breitling

Disclaimer: The Upland Update is an independent community resource and is not affiliated with the City of Upland. This is my personal initiative to keep residents and businesses informed about key issues, city developments, and community events that impact our daily lives. My goal is to ensure you have clear, transparent, and timely information to stay engaged and involved in shaping Upland’s future.

James Breitling

(909) 342-2523

info@theuplandupdate.com

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