How to Opt Out of Data Brokers in Hawaii

Hawaii stands out among U.S. states for having a dedicated data broker registration law. Under Chapter 487J of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, data brokers operating in the state must register annually, disclose their data collection practices, and reveal whether they allow consumers to opt out. While this gives Hawaii residents more visibility into who is buying and selling their data, the actual process of opting out still falls largely on you. Here is your complete guide to removing your personal information from data brokers in Hawaii.

Hawaii's Data Broker Registration Law

Hawaii's Personal Information Protection Act (Chapter 487J) includes provisions that specifically target data brokers. Under this law, a data broker is defined as a business that knowingly collects and sells or licenses to third parties the personal information of consumers with whom it does not have a direct relationship.

Key requirements for data brokers operating in Hawaii:

• Annual registration: Data brokers must register with the state on or before January 31 of each year
• Fee payment: Brokers must pay a registration fee determined by the state office
• Disclosure of opt-out policies: Brokers must disclose whether they allow consumers to opt out of data collection, opt out of their databases, or opt out of certain data sales
• Transparency about limitations: Brokers must specify which data collection, databases, or sales activities consumers cannot opt out of
• Third-party audits: Beginning in 2025, data brokers must undergo independent third-party audits every three years to verify compliance

Recent Legislative Developments

Hawaii continues to strengthen its privacy protections. In 2026, SB 1163 passed the state Senate, which would prohibit the sale of geolocation information and internet browser history without consent. The bill also targets data collected through eavesdropping or through background applications that use a device's microphone. These measures, if fully enacted, would give Hawaii residents additional protections against some of the most invasive types of data collection.

Hawaii has also been considering the Hawaii Consumer Privacy Protection Act, a broader comprehensive privacy bill that would bring the state closer to frameworks like California's CCPA. While this legislation is still developing, it signals Hawaii's commitment to expanding consumer data rights.

Your Rights Under Hawaii Law

Under current Hawaii law, you have several important rights regarding your personal information:

• Right to opt out of data sales: You can direct businesses that sell your personal information to stop doing so
• Right to notice: Businesses must notify you at or before the point of collection about what data they are collecting and how it will be used
• Right to know about third-party sharing: Third parties that receive your data from a broker must provide you with explicit notice and obtain written consent before using or reselling it
• Right to data breach notification: Hawaii law requires businesses to notify you if your personal information is compromised in a data breach

Step 1: Find Where Your Data Appears

Start by searching for yourself across major search engines using different combinations of your name, city, zip code, phone number, and street address. For Hawaii residents, try searches like:

• "Your Name Honolulu HI"
• "Your Name" + your zip code
• "Your Name" + your street name
• Your phone number in quotes

Data brokers that commonly list Hawaii residents include:

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

Step 2: Submit Opt-Out Requests to Each Broker

Once you have identified which brokers hold your data, submit removal requests to each one. The process varies by site but generally follows these steps:

1. Find the opt-out page. Look for links labeled "Do Not Sell My Information," "Privacy," or "Opt Out" in the site footer or privacy policy.
2. Locate your profile. Most opt-out processes require you to search their database and select the correct listing.
3. Complete the opt-out form. Provide the requested identifying information, which may include your name, address, email, and date of birth.
4. Confirm via email. Many brokers require email verification to complete the opt-out. Check your spam and junk folders.
5. Allow processing time. Removals can take anywhere from 24 hours to 30 days depending on the broker.
6. Verify the removal. After the processing period, search for yourself again on the broker's site to confirm your listing has been removed.

Step 3: Address Hawaii-Specific Data Sources

Data brokers draw heavily from public records. In Hawaii, important sources of personal data include:

• Property records: The Bureau of Conveyances maintains real property records that include owner names and addresses. Consider using a trust or LLC for property ownership to reduce your public exposure.
• Voter registration: Hawaii voter registration data includes your name, address, and date of birth. Hawaii does allow address confidentiality for certain qualifying individuals such as victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking through the Address Confidentiality Program.
• Court records: Hawaii Judiciary records are publicly searchable. In some cases, sensitive records can be sealed by court order.
• Business registrations: If you own a business, your name and address may appear in the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs database. Using a registered agent can help keep your personal address private.

Step 4: Set Up Ongoing Monitoring

Opting out once is not enough. Data brokers continuously rebuild their databases from public records, marketing lists, social media scraping, and data exchanges with other brokers. Your information will likely reappear within weeks or months of a successful removal.

To maintain your privacy, plan to:

• Re-check each broker every 2-3 months
• Resubmit opt-out requests whenever your data reappears
• Search for new brokers that may have acquired your information
• Monitor whether brokers registered in Hawaii are honoring their disclosed opt-out policies

Manually managing this process across dozens of sites is time-consuming. Most people spend 20 to 40 hours on initial opt-outs, with several more hours needed each quarter for maintenance.

The Easier Way: Let PrivacyOn Handle It

Hawaii's data broker registration law gives you more transparency than residents of most states enjoy, but it does not eliminate the burden of opting out site by site. PrivacyOn automates opt-outs from 100+ data brokers, handling the entire removal process so you do not have to.

What PrivacyOn provides for Hawaii residents:

• Automated opt-out submissions to 100+ data brokers and people-search sites
• Continuous monitoring that detects when your data reappears on broker sites
• Automatic re-submissions whenever brokers re-list your information
• Dark web scanning to check if your data appears in breach databases
• Family coverage with plans supporting up to 5 people

Plans start at just $8.33/month ($99.96/year). For Hawaii residents who want to take full advantage of the state's data broker transparency requirements without spending hours navigating individual opt-out processes, PrivacyOn provides the automated, continuous protection you need.

Hawaii Privacy Resources

• Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection: cca.hawaii.gov/ocp
• Hawaii Attorney General: ag.hawaii.gov
• Hawaii Address Confidentiality Program: Contact the Attorney General's office
• Data Broker Registry: Check with the Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection for the current list of registered data brokers
• FTC Identity Theft Reporting: identitytheft.gov

Take Action Now

Hawaii's data broker registration law gives you a head start by requiring brokers to be transparent about their practices and opt-out options. But transparency alone does not protect your privacy. Whether you tackle the opt-outs manually or let PrivacyOn automate the process, the important thing is to act. Every day your personal information sits exposed on data broker sites is another day it can be exploited for spam, scams, stalking, or identity theft. Take control of your data today.