How to Opt Out of Data Brokers in Florida

Florida residents have some of the weakest data broker protections in the country. Despite passing the Florida Digital Bill of Rights in 2023, the law is so narrow in scope that it effectively excludes the vast majority of data brokers. That means if you live in Florida and want your personal information removed from people-search sites, you're largely on your own. Here's a practical guide to taking control of your data.

Why Florida's Privacy Law Won't Help You

The Florida Digital Bill of Rights (FDBR), signed into law in 2023, sounds promising on paper. In practice, it has a very limited scope that leaves most Floridians without meaningful protection from data brokers.

The FDBR applies only to the largest technology companies, specifically those that operate a search engine, online platform, or web browser with significant user bases and revenue. The law was designed to target major tech platforms, not the hundreds of data brokers that collect and sell your personal information.

What the FDBR Actually Covers

For the handful of companies the FDBR does cover, Florida residents can:

• Opt out of targeted advertising
• Opt out of voice and facial recognition data collection
• Request deletion of personal data from qualifying controllers

Controllers that fall under the FDBR must respond to requests within 45 days, with a possible 45-day extension. But again, this applies to a tiny fraction of the companies that hold and sell your data.

The Real Problem: Florida's Public Records

Florida is one of the most transparent states in the country when it comes to public records. The Florida Sunshine Law makes a vast amount of government data publicly available, including:

• Property records with your name, home address, and purchase price
• Voter registration data including your name, address, party affiliation, and date of birth
• Court records from civil, criminal, and family cases
• Business filings with owner names and registered addresses
• Professional licenses with full names and sometimes home addresses

Data brokers feed on this information. They scrape Florida public records databases, combine the data with information from marketing lists and social media profiles, and publish detailed personal profiles that anyone can access, often for free.

Step 1: Find Out Where Your Information Appears

Before you can opt out, you need to know which sites have your data. Start by searching for yourself on Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo using variations of your name:

• "Jane Smith Miami FL"
• "Jane Smith" + your zip code
• "Jane Smith" + your street name
• Your phone number in quotes

Make a list of every site that shows your personal information. For most Florida residents, the list will include many of these major data brokers:

• BeenVerified (beenverified.com)
• Spokeo (spokeo.com)
• Whitepages (whitepages.com)
• TruePeopleSearch (truepeoplesearch.com)
• PeopleFinder (peoplefinder.com)
• Intelius (intelius.com)
• Radaris (radaris.com)
• FastPeopleSearch (fastpeoplesearch.com)
• MyLife (mylife.com)
• Nuwber (nuwber.com)

Step 2: Submit Opt-Out Requests One by One

Each data broker has its own opt-out process, and they are intentionally designed to be confusing and time-consuming. For each site on your list:

1. Find the opt-out page. Look for links labeled "Do Not Sell My Information," "Privacy," or "Opt Out" in the site's footer.
2. Search for your profile. Most opt-out pages require you to search for yourself within their database to identify the correct listing.
3. Submit the removal request. Fill out the opt-out form with your identifying information. Some sites ask for your full name, address, date of birth, and email.
4. Verify via email. Many brokers send a confirmation email that you must click to finalize the removal. Check your spam folder.
5. Wait for processing. Removal can take anywhere from 24 hours to 30 days depending on the broker.
6. Confirm removal. Go back to the site after the stated processing time and verify that your profile is gone.

Step 3: Address Florida-Specific Data Sources

Because so much of your data originates from Florida public records, take these additional steps:

• Property records: You cannot remove your name from county property appraiser databases, but you can use a trust or LLC to hold property, keeping your name off future records.
• Voter registration: Florida law allows certain individuals (law enforcement, judges, domestic violence survivors, and others) to exempt their information from public voter records. Contact your county Supervisor of Elections to check eligibility.
• Court records: Some sensitive records can be sealed or redacted by court order. Consult an attorney if court records are exposing personal information.
• Business filings: If you own a business, consider using a registered agent service so your home address is not listed in the Florida Division of Corporations database.

Step 4: Repeat Every Few Months

This is the part most people underestimate. Data brokers continuously rebuild their databases from public records, marketing lists, and data shared between brokers. Even after a successful opt-out, your information will likely reappear within weeks or months.

For Florida residents, this problem is especially acute because of the state's broad public records access. Your property records, voter registration, and court filings are always available as source material for brokers to re-harvest.

To maintain your privacy, you need to:

• Re-check each broker every 2-3 months
• Resubmit opt-out requests when your data reappears
• Search for new brokers that may have picked up your information

Doing this manually across 50-100+ sites takes significant time. Most people spend 20-40 hours on the initial round of opt-outs alone, and each follow-up cycle takes several more hours.

The Easier Way: Let PrivacyOn Handle It

Given that Florida law provides almost no protection from data brokers, automated removal is especially valuable for Sunshine State residents. PrivacyOn automates the entire opt-out process across more than 100 data broker sites, including all the major people-search sites that source data from Florida public records.

Here's what PrivacyOn does for Florida residents:

• Submits opt-out requests to 100+ data brokers on your behalf
• Monitors 24/7 for your data reappearing on broker sites
• Automatically re-submits removals when brokers re-list your information
• Scans the dark web for your personal data in breach databases
• Covers your family with plans for up to 5 people

Plans start at just $8.33/month ($99.96/year). For Florida residents who have no state law to fall back on, PrivacyOn provides the continuous, automated protection that fills the gap left by the FDBR's narrow scope.

Florida Privacy Resources

• Florida Attorney General Consumer Protection: File complaints at myfloridalegal.com
• Florida Division of Consumer Services: 1-800-435-7352
• Florida Voter Registration Exemptions: Contact your county Supervisor of Elections
• FTC Identity Theft Reporting: identitytheft.gov

Take Action Now

Florida's privacy laws won't protect you from data brokers, and the state's expansive public records make you an easy target. Whether you opt out manually or let PrivacyOn automate the process, the important thing is to start now. Every day your personal information sits on data broker sites is another day it can be used for spam, scams, stalking, or identity theft. Take control of your data before someone else does.