California’s Delete Act and DROP: What Lead Sellers Need to Know

California keeps passing privacy laws because personal data has become a business asset that moves far beyond the company that originally collected it. Previous regulations mostly focused on transparency and choice. Companies had to explain what they collected, give people a way to opt out, and respect those requests when they came in.

The Delete Act takes a different approach to privacy. Instead of putting the burden on individuals to track down every company that might have their data, it creates a single way to remove that data from the resale market altogether.TL;DR

As of January 1, 2026, California residents can submit centralized deletion requests that apply across the registered data broker market. DROP is the platform that delivers those requests. DROP does not delete data from internal systems, but it does restrict whether personal data can continue to be sold, shared, enriched, or resold. For lead sellers and brokers, the effects show up through registration obligations, changes in data availability, and statutory penalties tied to the continued circulation of restricted data.

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The Delete Act

The Delete Act is a California privacy law that gives consumers a centralized