Data Broker Opt-Out Checklist

Why opt-outs aren't permanent

Data brokers collect from public records — property transactions, voter registration, court filings, address changes. They buy from other brokers. Your data re-enters their system on a 3-6 month refresh cycle. Some brokers maintain suppression lists that prevent re-addition after you've opted out. Many don't.

The opt-out removes you from today's database, not from data they haven't collected yet. This is a recurring maintenance task — not a one-time fix. That's the honest core of why automated removal services exist.

The California shortcut (January 2026)

California launched the DELETE Request and Opt-Out (DROP) portal in January 2026.

The idea: you authenticate once through privacy.ca.gov and submit a single deletion request that cascades to every data broker registered with the California Privacy Protection Agency — over 500 of them. The portal uses MFA and hashed data to protect what you submit.

Starting August 1, 2026, per CPPA regulations finalized in November 2025, brokers must check the DROP system every 45 days and delete matched data within 90 days. They also have to maintain a suppression list — meaning when they re-acquire your data from a new source, they have to delete it again rather than just let it sit.

That suppression list mechanism addresses the re-listing problem, at least for brokers registered in California. If you're a CA resident: prioritize this before the manual opt-out grind.

Non-California residents don't have an equivalent yet.

Manual opt-out — the major brokers

If you're handling this yourself, start with the highest-traffic people-search sites:

• Spokeo — spokeo.com/optout: Find listing, paste URL into form, confirm email. 24-72 hours.
• Whitepages — whitepages.com/suppression-requests: Phone verification call. Also removes from 411.com.
• BeenVerified — beenverified.com/app/optout/search: Name/state search, CAPTCHA, email confirm. Up to 24 hours.
• PeopleConnect — suppression.peopleconnect.us/login: Parent company behind Intelius, Instant Checkmate, US Search, ~15 others. One opt-out reaches the whole network.
• MyLife — mylife.com/ccpa/index.pubview or email [email protected]. 7-14 days.
• Radaris — radaris.com/control-privacy or [email protected].
• FastPeopleSearch — fastpeoplesearch.com/removal: CAPTCHA, ~72 hours.
• TruePeopleSearch — truepeoplesearch.com/removal: Multiple CAPTCHAs.
• Nuwber — nuwber.com/removal/link: Filter by state. Email [email protected] if form fails.
• FamilyTreeNow — familytreenow.com/optout: Simple process.
• PeopleFinders — peoplefinders.com/opt-out: ID verification, 5-7 business days.
• Acxiom — isapps.acxiom.com/optout/optout.aspx: Removes you from data sold to businesses (not just public-facing sites).
• LexisNexis — consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com/request: Consumer opt-out portal.

For the complete list (85+ brokers with direct opt-out links): Yael Grauer's Big-Ass Data Broker Opt-Out List on GitHub.

Automated services

If repeating this every 3-6 months isn't realistic, automated removal services handle the cycle for you. I did a full breakdown of Incogni vs DeleteMe:

• Incogni — covers 420+ brokers, re-runs removal requests every 60-90 days automatically, ~$100/year. Deloitte-verified coverage numbers.
• DeleteMe — more visible reporting, human-managed removals, narrower practical coverage.
• EasyOptOuts — budget option at $19.99/year for ~100 people-search sites.

The math: if doing this manually takes four hours and you redo it quarterly, the services start making sense fast — not as a luxury but as a time decision.