Transcription
By California for free for US residents, which is a brand new thing.
Online privacy is a huge concern. Not only is our personal information floating around online, but data brokers are buying and selling details about our habits and preferences. Now, a new California website aims to help you put a stop to it for free.
Search your name online and you quickly realize how much personal information is already out there. And that's just what you can see. Behind the scenes, data brokers buy and sell your personal information, tracking your habits, where you live, and what you watch. Data is the new oil, palm, and there are hundreds of businesses whose business model is to collect our information.
Now, California is stepping in with a new website called Dropped, a one-click, one-stop ability to have your data deleted from hundreds of entities, basically just collecting so your information behind the scenes. Drop stands for Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform, created by the California Privacy Protection Agency.
I signed up to test it out. First, you have to verify that you live in California, then enter basic info like your name, address, phone number, and email. You can also add advertising identifiers from your phone, TV, or car. Asked for the middle, a lot of information. Enable masterly shed all of your personal information with these businesses that you don't have a direct relationship with.
Data brokers operating in California must register with the state. Over 100 are on the list right now, with over 500 expected soon. And it's a permanent solution, so you don't have to go back and make requests to each and every broker. It's one and done. The deletions begin later this year. The fines that these entities could have would be $200 for a record. Heard.
California is the first state to offer this free tool. Kate services do something similar, but for California residents. Drop could be a simple way to limit how your data is shared. There's definitely California and be happening with the drops estimates. Keep in mind, now, this only applies to California residents, but other states could follow. And deletions start later this year.
If you want more information on California's Drop website, you can find a link on mine. It is rich on tech dot TV. So again, you put in all your data. Now, basically, you sign up with your name and address. In the summer, they're going to start doing the deletions, so nothing's going to happen overnight. It's not going to go away instantly, but eventually, by the end of the year.
I remember when this was announced, and I said to my friends, like, "Oh, great, I got to get all my information to get it taken off." And they were just skeptical. They were so jaded, general, but they feel like giving the information is also giving away a window into being taken advantage of. I don't think so, after especially having spoken to the folks at the state that created the site. They've pretty good intentions with this thing. I mean, they're really on the side of the residents. Get your information out of these hands of the data brokers, and you don't have to give a ton of personal information. Your name, your address, your phone number, your email, date of birth. I mean, yes, the stuff. Security, you don't. It's funny if you sign. Fever, but that's their login. Gov, which is pretty standard for them, but I signed up through the standard.