Overview

• Investigators from The Markup and CalMatters reviewed all 499 registered brokers and found 35 using noindex code to block legally required deletion and opt-out pages.
• After reporters notified the affected brokers, eight removed the noindex code while two defended its use to prevent spam and the rest did not respond.
• Some registry listings pointed to pages that no longer existed and many firms buried opt-out links behind deep navigation menus and pop-ups, creating extra barriers for consumers.
• Tom Kemp, executive director of the California Privacy Protection Agency, said the agency reproduced the findings under its dark-pattern guidance, signaling potential enforcement scrutiny.
• California’s Delete Act will introduce the DROP platform next year to let consumers send a single legally binding deletion or opt-out request to all registered data brokers.