Less spam for Californians

Are you "spammed" out? I am. I get too many spam contacts every day, whether it’s email, text, or phone, and it’s only getting worse. But there’s some good news for us Californians. In a new benchmark for consumer privacy and spam protection, California has launched the Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP), a first-in-the-nation tool that gives us unprecedented control over how our personal information is collected and sold. Rather than contacting hundreds of companies individually, DROP allows us to request that all registered data brokers delete our personal data in one go.

Here’s how it works: starting January 1, 2026, any California resident can go to privacy.ca.gov/drop, verify your residency, and create a profile with basic information like your name, email, phone number, and ZIP code.

In addition, they ask for your Mobile Ad ID number and Smart TV ID number. I found my Mobile Ad ID buried in my phone's settings. You can find instructions on its location for your particular device by searching for Mobile Ad ID for Apple or Android. On my Smart TV, I just went to my TV's Privacy Settings and checked “Don’t share my information,” so I didn’t have to include that ID number in my DROP sign-up.

Sign up is free, and with just one submission, DROP sends your deletion request to over 500 registered data brokers, asking them to delete whatever personal information they hold about you that isn’t exempt under the law. Data brokers will begin processing these requests on August 1, 2026.

I’m optimistic that in the near future, I’ll have fewer unwanted spam calls, texts, and emails, lowering my risk of identity theft, fraud, and frustration. My thanks to the California Privacy Protection Agency for giving California residents more control over our digital lives. I hope other states will follow.