Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP) vs Optery

Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP) is a free web service from the California Privacy Protection Agency, also called CalPrivacy. It lets eligible California residents ask data brokers to delete their personal information and stop selling or sharing it. One request can reach over 600 registered data brokers. Users begin with a name, date of birth, and ZIP code, then may add more information. Mobile advertising IDs, connected TV IDs, and vehicle identification numbers are optional. After initial processing, brokers must re-check for new matching information and delete it at least every 45 days. Brokers have up to 90 days to report how they handled a request, and users can update their profile once every 45 days. DROP says submitted information is used only to process requests and stored in secure, unreadable hashed form. Residency verification runs through the California Identity Gateway, and DROP says it does not retain that verification information. The service does not require deletion of information given directly to a business, publicly available information, or legally exempt information.

Optery helps people find and remove personal information posted on data broker and people-search sites. Its free platform provides visibility into where information appears online; Free Basic includes personalized exposure reports with screenshots, scans of Google and Bing search results, self-service removal tools, and quarterly reports. Paid plans add automated scans and removals, but brokers may add profiles again after an opt-out. Exposure and removal reports include live screenshots showing where profiles were found or removed. Core costs $3.99 a month, billed yearly at $39, and covers automated removals from 380+ sites, with a limit of one name and city and state per user. Extended costs $14.99 a month, billed yearly at $149, and adds more site coverage, unlimited name variations and past cities and states, an assigned human Privacy Agent, and before-and-after screenshots about every 90 days. Ultimate costs $24.99 a month, billed yearly at $249, and includes custom requests for 950+ sites total after 30 days. Optery also offers an API for partner applications and programmatic access to exposure screenshots. It supports Android, iOS, web, API, and extension. Optery says customer data is encrypted in transit and at rest.