This State's Residents Can Now Erase Their Digital Footprint So Much Easier Than Before

Over the past couple of decades, the internet has evolved into an all-encompassing, all-conquering behemoth that governs how many of us live our increasingly online lives. While that certainly has positives, one potentially problematic aspect that has come to light recently is the issue of our digital footprints. 

A digital footprint is the trail we leave as we use the internet: the websites we visit, our social media posts, and the online services we sign up for. While that may seem innocuous, data brokers can collect that information and provide it to buyers, who can then develop a surprisingly thorough picture of our habits, preferences, and desires — including ones that may put us at risk. Thankfully, it's possible to find and remove your personal data from the internet, although it can be a tedious process. However, California has announced a program that'll make it much easier.

The program, known as the Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP), launched on January 1, 2026. In short, it allows all California residents to submit a request that compels registered data brokers to delete any personal information about said residents that they have on file. The program is the next step following the state's Delete Act, enacted in 2023, which required data brokers to register with the state and allow customers to request that their data be deleted.

Until now, Californians who wanted their personal data purged from the internet had to contact data brokers one by one. Given that the California Privacy Protection Agency lists 545 data brokers as operating in the state at the time of writing, that can be incredibly time-consuming. DROP streamlines the process significantly: when a California resident submits a request to DROP, the system sends that request to all data brokers registered in the state simultaneously.

DROP requires residents to submit basic information, such as their name, address, date of birth, zip code, and phone number. While submitting data to delete data may seem counterintuitive, brokers need this information to find a user's data before they can delete it. Californians who want an even more thorough purge can also submit their connected TV IDs, mobile advertising IDs, and vehicle VINs.

While California residents have been able to submit delete requests since January 1, 2026, the state's brokers will only start processing requests and deleting data on August 1, 2026. Starting then, brokers will have 45 days to comply with deletion requests and 90 days to file reports; those that fail to do so may be fined.