Connecticut residents have some of the strongest data privacy protections in the country thanks to the Connecticut Data Privacy Act (CTDPA). If you live in the Nutmeg State, you have clear legal rights to opt out of data collection, stop the sale of your personal information, and demand that data brokers delete your records. Here's how to exercise those rights effectively.
Your Rights Under the Connecticut Data Privacy Act
The CTDPA, which took effect on July 1, 2023, grants Connecticut residents several important rights when it comes to their personal data. Significant amendments taking effect on July 1, 2026 further strengthen these protections, lowering the compliance threshold to just 35,000 data records and adding new restrictions on how companies use artificial intelligence to profile customers.
Under the CTDPA, you have the right to:
- Access a copy of your personal information held by any covered business
- Correct inaccuracies in your personal data
- Delete your personal information from a company's records
- Opt out of the sale of your personal data to advertisers and third parties
- Opt out of targeted advertising based on your data
- Opt out of profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects
2026 Update: Universal Opt-Out Signals
Since January 1, 2025, businesses covered under the CTDPA must honor universal opt-out preference signals sent by Connecticut residents. Tools like Global Privacy Control (GPC) allow you to automatically tell every website you visit that you don't want your personal data sold — and it's now illegal for companies to ignore these signals in Connecticut.
Step 1: Enable Global Privacy Control
The easiest first step is to install a browser extension or use a browser that supports Global Privacy Control (GPC). This sends an automatic opt-out signal to every website you visit.
- Firefox: Has built-in GPC support. Go to Settings → Privacy & Security and enable "Tell websites not to sell or share my data"
- Brave: GPC is enabled by default
- DuckDuckGo: The browser and extension both support GPC
- Chrome: Install the Privacy Badger or OptMeowt extension to enable GPC
This covers websites you visit going forward, but it won't remove data that brokers have already collected about you.
Step 2: Identify Which Data Brokers Have Your Information
Connecticut is home to many corporate headquarters, and dozens of national data brokers hold information on Connecticut residents. The most common ones include:
- People-search sites: Spokeo, BeenVerified, WhitePages, TruePeopleSearch, Intelius, PeopleFinder
- Marketing data brokers: Acxiom, Epsilon, Oracle Data Cloud, LexisNexis
- Background check companies: Instant Checkmate, TruthFinder, CheckPeople
- Real estate data brokers: PropertyShark, CoreLogic, Rehold
Start by searching for yourself on these sites. If your name, address, phone number, or other personal details appear, you have the right to request removal.
Step 3: Submit Opt-Out Requests
Each data broker has its own opt-out process. Here's the general approach:
- Find the opt-out page: Look for "Privacy Policy," "Do Not Sell My Information," or "Opt Out" links, usually in the website footer
- Verify your identity: Most brokers will ask you to confirm your identity via email or by providing specific personal details
- Submit your request: Complete the opt-out form and note the date you submitted it
- Follow up: Connecticut law requires businesses to respond to your request within 45 days (with a possible 45-day extension)
Watch Out for Re-Listing
Data brokers frequently re-add your information after removal. Public records, social media profiles, and other sources feed new data into their systems constantly. A one-time opt-out is rarely permanent — you'll need to monitor and re-submit requests regularly.
Step 4: File Complaints With the Attorney General
If a data broker ignores your opt-out request or fails to respond within the required timeframe, you can file a complaint with the Connecticut Attorney General's office. The AG has been actively investigating data brokers and has opened multiple investigations since the CTDPA took effect.
Visit portal.ct.gov/ag to file a complaint online. Include documentation of your opt-out request and any responses (or lack thereof) from the data broker.
Step 5: Use PrivacyOn for Automated Protection
Manually opting out of dozens of data brokers is time-consuming and needs to be repeated regularly. PrivacyOn automates this entire process for Connecticut residents, continuously monitoring and removing your personal information from 100+ data broker sites.
With PrivacyOn, you get:
- Automated opt-out requests submitted on your behalf to all major data brokers
- 24/7 monitoring for new listings of your personal information
- Dark web monitoring to alert you if your data appears in breaches
- Family plans covering up to 5 people — ideal for protecting your household
- Regular reports showing which brokers had your data and removal status
Connecticut-Specific Tips
Here are a few additional steps Connecticut residents should take:
- Check court records: Connecticut Judicial Branch records are partially available online. Request removal of any sensitive information through the court clerk's office
- Voter registration: Connecticut voter records are public. While you can't fully opt out, you can request that the Secretary of State's office restrict access to your information for commercial purposes
- Property records: Town clerk offices maintain property records that often appear on data broker sites. Some towns allow you to request address confidentiality
The Bottom Line
Connecticut's privacy laws give you real power to control your personal information, and the 2026 amendments make those protections even stronger. But exercising those rights manually across dozens of data brokers is a significant time commitment. Whether you tackle it yourself or use a service like PrivacyOn to handle it automatically, the important thing is to take action — your personal data is valuable, and you deserve to control who has access to it.