Marketplace Tech California’s one-stop shop for data brokers to delete consumers' data
Mar 9, 2026
Nicole Turner-Lee, a Brookings senior fellow researching tech policy and equity, breaks down California’s new Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform (DROP). She explains how DROP aims to curb data broker sales and restore user control. Discussion covers limits of the tool for stopping spam, privacy versus personalization trade-offs, and how California’s move could shape national policy.
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California's DROP Returns Agency Over Personal Data
- California's DROP gives residents a centralized way to request data brokers delete personal info under the 2023 Delete Act.
- The platform targets registered brokers and aims to curb sales of sensitive data like SSNs and search histories.
DROP Is Helpful But Not A Complete Solution
- California fills a privacy gap absent a national standard, but Turner-Lee cautions government surveillance and other channels still expose data.
- She stresses comprehensive national legislation is needed to fully protect consumers.
Deleting Brokered Data Lowers Fraud Risk
- Deleting brokered data can reduce identity theft and predatory targeting by limiting who can buy deep personal profiles.
- Nicol Turner-Lee warns many harms come from third-party brokers selling info that enables scams and fraud.