If you live in California you can now tell data brokers to delete your personal information. Here’s how to do it
California residents can now formally request that data brokers delete their personal information, according to a new guide on exercising that right. The process is available to state residents and targets the largely opaque industry that buys and sells personal data.
Why this matters: Data brokers collect your name, address, relatives, income, health signals, and more — then sell it to anyone willing to pay. Most people have no idea how many of these companies hold their information. California's deletion right is real leverage, but it only works if you use it. The catch is that the burden is still on you. You have to find the brokers, submit requests, and often repeat the process because the data comes back. This is a genuine tool, not a permanent fix.
Who should care: General readers · Privacy officers · Policy
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