How California’s Delete Act will try to keep personal info offline

(NewsNation) — Californians will gain enhanced control over their online personal data with the implementation of the new Delete Act, effective Jan. 1.

The legislation allows consumers to request the deletion of their personal information from all data brokers and mandates these brokers to cease selling such information. 

“We need to understand that every time we go to a website or make an online purchase, we’re offering up our personal information that is ultimately going to be bought by these data brokers,” said California state Sen. Josh Becker, the bill’s author. “And these are unknown third parties that we do not have a relationship with and they are accumulating 1000s of pieces of information on each one of us.”

Hackers access consumers’ financial and personal information through third-party data brokers that collect this data. This new legislation sets up a first-in-the-nation database for people to opt out of sharing their information with 3rd parties and puts harsher penalties for data brokers violating consumers’ privacy once they have opted out.

Under the Delete Act, consumers will only need to make a single request to delete their information from hundreds of data brokers. Becker emphasized the simplicity of the process, envisioning it as a “one-stop-shop” where users can input their information and have it deleted from all data brokers. 

While the law goes into effect on Jan. 1, “it’s still going to take a little while for the privacy agency to get it all up and running,” Senator Becker noted. “But that’s the idea: one-stop-shop, let’s make this easy for all of us to regain control over our personal data.” 

Becker clarified that the state already requires data brokers to register. However, the current system necessitates users to visit 500 different websites to delete their information from each broker, a cumbersome task that the Delete Act aims to simplify. 

“The idea here is to create a one-stop shop, a very easy one form, 30 seconds, fill your information, delete it from all data brokers,” Becker said. 

Addressing comparisons to the Do Not Call list, Becker acknowledged the frustration with unsolicited calls despite being on the list. He explained that the Delete Act differs by focusing on data brokers who may provide information to both reputable and disreputable entities. 

“The disreputable folks who are somehow getting control may not abide by the Do Not Call list,” Becker said. “So I think my bill, this Delete Act, deleting our information from data brokers, will help all of us online with our online privacy, but also offline as well.”