California's Delete Act (SB 362) is set to revolutionize data privacy when it launches August 1, 2026, giving Golden State residents a single "DROP" button to erase their personal information from every registered data broker. But why wait nearly two years when you can start reclaiming your digital privacy today?
While the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) finalizes the one-stop deletion platform, savvy consumers are already shrinking their data exhaust using comprehensive privacy services. The reality is stark: personal information is constantly being used by tech companies and data brokers for profit, making individuals vulnerable to fraud, scams, and phishing attempts.
This guide reveals how to leverage existing data removal services to get a 12-month head start on the Delete Act, position yourself for seamless integration with the DROP platform, and understand why continuous monitoring will remain critical even after the state system launches.
Understanding the California Delete Act: What's Coming in 2026
The DROP Platform Promise
The Delete Act represents the most ambitious consumer privacy initiative in U.S. history. Starting August 1, 2026, California residents will access a centralized platform where a single request triggers data deletion across all registered data brokers operating in the state.
Key features of the DROP system include:
One-click deletion across multiple data brokers simultaneously
45-day recurring deletion cycles for ongoing protection
Mandatory broker registration with the CPPA
Standardized deletion processes across all participating platforms
Consumer verification systems to prevent fraudulent requests
The 45-Day Rule: Why Continuous Service Matters
The Act's most significant provision requires data brokers to honor deletion requests every 45 days. (All Things Secured) This recurring requirement acknowledges a fundamental truth: data collection never stops, and neither should data removal efforts.
Data brokers continuously acquire new information through:
Public record updates
Third-party data purchases
Social media scraping
Website tracking pixels
Mobile app data sharing
The Current Data Broker Landscape: Why You Can't Wait Until 2026
The Scale of Data Exposure
While waiting for the Delete Act might seem logical, the current data broker ecosystem poses immediate risks. Personal information is actively being collected, packaged, and sold every day, creating expanding digital footprints that fuel identity theft, unwanted marketing, and privacy violations.
Modern data brokers operate across hundreds of platforms, each with unique:
Collection methodologies
Data retention policies
Removal procedures
Response timeframes
Verification requirements
The Cost of Delay
Every month you wait means:
Expanded exposure: New data points added to broker databases
Increased vulnerability: More opportunities for data misuse
Growing removal complexity: Larger datasets require more time to clean
Compounding risks: Each exposed data point can lead to additional collection
Cloaked's Pre-DROP Strategy: Getting Ahead of the Curve
Comprehensive Broker Coverage
Cloaked offers removal services across 120+ data brokers and other sites, providingimmediate protection while the state system develops. This extensive coverage addresses the reality that each broker maintains its own set of records and removal procedures.
The service operates on a four-step process:
1. Scan: Identify personal information across broker networks
2. Delete: Submit removal requests to identified platforms
3. Disguise: Create protective aliases for future interactions
4. Protect: Monitor for new exposures and re-submissions
Realistic Timeline Expectations
Unlike the promised instant gratification of the DROP platform, current removal processes require patience. Most records are removed within 30 days, though some brokers may take longer due to varying verification procedures. This timeline reality makes starting early even more critical.
Users can track progress through detailed dashboards showing:
Which records each data broker maintains
Current status of each removal request
Estimated completion timeframes
Required additional verification steps
Continuous Monitoring Advantage
Perhaps most importantly, Cloaked provides ongoing monitoring that will remain valuable even after DROP launches. So long as users remain subscribers, the service continues monitoring data broker sites and removing personal information on their behalf. This continuous protection model aligns perfectly with the Delete Act's 45-day recurring deletion requirement.
Authorized Agent Framework: Positioning for DROP Integration
Understanding Authorized Agent Status
The Delete Act allows consumers to designate "authorized agents" to submit deletion requests on their behalf. This provision creates opportunities for privacy services to integrate seamlessly with the DROP platform, potentially offering enhanced features beyond the basic state system.
Authorized agents can provide:
Enhanced verification processes to prevent fraudulent requests
Customized deletion schedules beyond the standard 45-day cycle
Additional privacy services like alias creation and monitoring
Detailed reporting on deletion success rates and broker compliance
Cloaked's Positioning Strategy
By establishing relationships with users before DROP launches, privacy services like Cloaked can position themselves as preferred authorized agents. This early relationship building offers several advantages:
Established trust: Users already familiar with service capabilities
Historical data: Understanding of individual privacy preferences
Integrated workflows: Seamless transition from current to DROP-enhanced services
Dramatic reduction in robocalls: Many users see 70-80% decreases in unwanted calls
Cleaner email inboxes: Substantial reduction in spam and marketing emails
Reduced physical mail: Fewer unsolicited marketing materials and offers
Enhanced peace of mind: Knowing personal information is actively protected
Documentation Strategies
To maximize the value of your pre-DROP privacy efforts:
1. Screenshot broker profiles before and after removal requests
2. Track communication volume across email, phone, and mail channels
3. Document removal success rates by broker category
4. Monitor identity theft risk indicators through credit monitoring
5. Record time investment to understand ongoing maintenance requirements
Why Continuous Services Remain Critical Post-DROP
The Limitations of Government Platforms
While the DROP platform represents a significant advancement, government systems typically focus on basic functionality rather than comprehensive privacy protection. Private services will likely continue offering enhanced features including:
Faster response times than government-mandated minimums
Advanced AI capabilities for automated privacy management
Predictive threat detection identifying risks before they materialize
Integrated security ecosystems protecting all aspects of digital life
Personalized privacy strategies adapted to individual risk profiles
Family and business protection extending beyond individual privacy
Taking Action: Your Next Steps
Immediate Actions (This Week)
1. Assess your current exposure through a comprehensive privacy audit
2. Research privacy services offering pre-DROP protection capabilities
3. Sign up for monitoring to understand your current data broker presence
4. Begin alias implementation for new account registrations
5. Review family privacy needs and protection requirements
Short-term Goals (Next 30 Days)
1. Complete initial data removal requests across major broker categories
2. Implement protective aliases for email and phone communications
3. Set up monitoring systems for ongoing exposure detection
4. Document baseline metrics for measuring improvement
5. Create privacy emergency procedures for potential breaches
Long-term Strategy (Next 12 Months)
1. Maintain continuous monitoring and removal activities
2. Optimize privacy practices based on measured results
3. Prepare for DROP integration through authorized agent relationships
4. Expand protection scope to include family and business needs
5. Stay informed about privacy legislation and platform developments
Conclusion: The Privacy Protection Advantage
The California Delete Act represents a watershed moment for consumer privacy rights, but waiting until 2026 means missing nearly two years of protection opportunities. By starting comprehensive data removal and privacy protection now, you can:
Shrink your data footprint before the state system launches
Establish protective practices that complement DROP capabilities
Position yourself for seamless authorized agent integration
Measure and optimize your privacy protection strategies
Protect your family through comprehensive privacy planning
The most effective privacy protection combines immediate action with long-term strategy. Services like Cloaked provide the comprehensive coverage, continuous monitoring, and integrated tools necessary to bridge the gap to DROP while building lasting privacy protection.
Don't wait for government solutions to protect your digital privacy. The tools and services exist today to dramatically reduce your data exposure, and the 12-month head start you gain will prove invaluable when the Delete Act finally launches. Your future self will thank you for taking action now rather than waiting for the perfect government solution that may still be imperfect when it arrives.
The countdown to DROP has begun, but your privacy protection journey can start today.
Cloaked FAQs Accordion
Frequently Asked Questions
California's Delete Act (SB 362) is groundbreaking privacy legislation that launches August 1, 2026, giving residents a single "DROP" button to erase their personal information from every registered data broker. This one-stop deletion platform will revolutionize digital privacy—but you don’t have to wait nearly two years to start protecting yourself with Cloaked.
Cloaked offers immediate data removal from over 120 data brokers, giving you a major head start before 2026. Their four-step process includes scanning for your data, deleting it from broker sites, disguising your details with aliases, and providing ongoing protection. Users report fewer robocalls and spam after starting with Cloaked.
You can expect a thorough process beginning with a free personalized risk report. Cloaked then systematically removes your personal information from broker sites while providing ongoing monitoring. It requires minimal effort from you and delivers comprehensive privacy protection.
Personal information is actively used for profit, making individuals vulnerable to fraud, scams, and phishing attempts. Starting data removal now with Cloaked immediately reduces risks and builds a stronger privacy foundation. This also positions you as an "authorized agent" for future privacy management.
Cloaked provides email aliases, phone number aliases with eSIM support, and masked payments through their "Cloaked identities" feature. These tools let you create real working phone numbers, emails, and passwords that protect your information both online and in real life.
The Delete Act will launch in 2026, but Cloaked offers immediate action with continuous monitoring and protection today. Their service goes beyond deletion by adding proactive privacy tools, identity protection, and ongoing monitoring to help prevent your data from being recollected.
At Cloaked, we believe the best way to protect your personal information is to keep it private before it ever gets out. That’s why we help you remove your data from people-search sites that expose your home address, phone number, SSN, and other personal details. And to keep your info private going forward, Cloaked lets you create unique, secure emails and phone numbers with one click - so you sign up for new experiences without giving away your real info. With Cloaked, your privacy isn’t a setting - it’s the default. Take back control of your personal data with thousands of Cloaked users.
*Disclaimer: You agree not to use any aspect of the Cloaked Services for FCRA purposes.
