Data broker opt-out guides: remove yourself from people-search sites

A data broker is a company that collects personal information (your address, phone number, relatives, purchase history) from public records, apps and other companies, then sells it. People-search sites are the brokers you can see: type in a name and they show a profile.

There's no one-click removal. Each broker runs its own opt-out, with its own form, checks and wait times, and many list you again later. California residents can use the state's DROP platform to reach every registered broker at once. Everyone else goes broker by broker, which is what these guides are for.