Explainer · Data privacy
What are data brokers — and how did they get your information?
There's a whole industry built on collecting and selling details about you — your address, age, phone, income bracket, relatives — usually without you ever knowing. Here's who they are, how your data reached them, why it matters, and what finally changed in 2026.
Last updated: July 10, 2026 · Written by the Privacy Intact team; see how we review.
What a data broker actually is
A data broker is a company whose business is collecting information about people and selling it. They gather scattered facts about you, assemble them into a profile, and sell access to marketers, background-check firms, insurers, other brokers — anyone paying. The unsettling part: most have never had any direct relationship with you. You didn't sign up; you became a product anyway.
Data brokers vs people-search sites
It helps to split the world in two:
- People-search sites — the public-facing ones like Whitepages, Spokeo, BeenVerified and others. Type a name and they show address history, phone numbers, age and relatives. This is where your exposure usually shows up when someone Googles you.
- Bulk data brokers — the larger, behind-the-scenes companies that trade data in volume to businesses. You rarely see them, but they feed the wider ecosystem.
When people talk about "removing your data," they usually mean opting out of both — but the people-search sites are the ones that sting in daily life.
How they got your information
Rarely from one big leak — it's assembled from ordinary sources:
- Public records: property and tax records, voter registration, court filings, marriage and business licenses.
- Commercial data: purchases, loyalty programs, warranty cards, subscriptions — bought and sold between companies.
- Online activity: tracking across websites and apps, and details you've shared publicly on social media.
- Other brokers: they buy from each other, so one source quickly multiplies across many sites.
Individually these are harmless fragments. Stitched together, they become a detailed dossier — which is exactly the product.
Why it's worth caring about
Beyond the general creep factor, exposed broker data has concrete downsides:
- Spam and robocalls — your number and email circulate to marketers and worse.
- Targeted scams and phishing — real details (your address, relatives' names) make a scam far more convincing, which is why fraud aimed at older adults so often starts here.
- Identity theft — brokered data fills in the blanks an attacker needs.
- Doxxing and stalking — for anyone facing harassment or an abusive ex, a public address listing is a genuine safety risk.
What changed in 2026
For years the only way to push back was to chase each broker individually. That's starting to change. A growing number of US states now grant residents the right to opt out of data sales and demand deletion — and California has gone furthest with a free, government-run tool.
California's DROP (the Delete Request and Opt-out Platform), run by the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA), went live for residents on January 1, 2026. One verified request reaches 500+ registered data brokers, and they must begin deleting your data by August 1, 2026. It's the first time a single free request can clear hundreds of brokers at once — a real shift from the old whack-a-mole. If you're in California, it's the first thing to use.
What you can do about it
You have three options, two of them free:
FAQ
Data brokers, answered
What exactly is a data broker?
A data broker is a company that collects information about people — from public records, online activity and commercial sources — packages it into profiles, and sells or shares it with marketers, other brokers, background-check services and anyone willing to pay. Most have never interacted with you directly, which is why their existence comes as a surprise.
Are data brokers legal?
Largely, yes — collecting and selling personal data is legal in much of the US, though that's shifting. A growing number of states give residents the right to opt out or demand deletion, and California now runs a free government platform, DROP, that forces registered brokers to delete a resident's data on a single request. Brokers operate within those rules, where the rules exist.
What's the difference between a data broker and a people-search site?
People-search sites (the ones that show your address and relatives when someone Googles your name) are the consumer-facing, public end of the data-broker world. Behind them sit larger brokers that trade data in bulk to businesses. You'll usually opt out of both, but people-search sites are where most personal exposure shows up in everyday searches.
How do I get my information off them?
Two free routes and one paid. California residents can use the free DROP platform; anyone can opt out of people-search sites by hand (start with the highest-traffic ones); or a paid removal service can automate it across hundreds of brokers and keep re-removing you. Our free guide and comparison cover all three.