Maine has long been a quiet leader in digital privacy. In 2019 it became the first state to require internet service providers to obtain opt-in consent before using or selling customer data. Now, with the Maine Online Data Privacy Act (LD 1822) advancing through the legislature in 2026, Pine Tree State residents are poised to gain some of the strongest consumer data rights in the country. Here is everything Maine residents need to know about opting out of data brokers and protecting their personal information today.
Maine Privacy Laws: What Protects You
Maine's privacy framework has grown from a single groundbreaking ISP law into a multi-layered set of protections. Understanding what is already on the books, and what is coming, helps you exercise your rights effectively.
Maine's ISP Privacy Law (2019)
In 2019, Maine enacted An Act to Protect the Privacy of Online Customer Information, making it the first and only state to require internet service providers to get affirmative, opt-in consent before using, disclosing, selling, or permitting access to customer personal information. This law covers browsing history, app usage data, location information, and the content of communications. ISPs operating in Maine cannot condition service on a customer's agreement to waive these protections.
The Maine Online Data Privacy Act (LD 1822)
In March 2026, the Maine Senate passed the Maine Online Data Privacy Act by a vote of 18-16. The bill closely mirrors Maryland's comprehensive privacy law enacted in 2024 and is designed to give Maine consumers broad control over their personal data. Key provisions include:
- Data minimization: Companies may only collect and process data that is strictly necessary to provide the product or service the consumer requested
- Right to know: Consumers can request a list of what personal data a company holds about them
- Right to delete: Consumers can demand deletion of their personal data
- Right to opt out: Consumers can opt out of the sale of their data and targeted advertising
- Right to correct: Consumers can request that inaccurate data be fixed
- Ban on selling sensitive data: The Act bars all processing of sensitive data that is not strictly necessary for the requested product or service
- Minor protections: A prohibition on selling personal data of minors or processing minors' data for targeted advertising
Civil Rights Protections Built In
Unlike many state privacy laws, the Maine Online Data Privacy Act includes explicit civil rights protections that prohibit data-driven discrimination. Companies cannot use personal data in ways that discriminate against consumers based on race, religion, gender, disability, or other protected characteristics. This makes Maine's bill one of the most equity-focused privacy proposals in the country.
Enforcement and Timeline
If enacted, the Maine Online Data Privacy Act would take effect on July 1, 2026. Enforcement authority rests with the Maine Attorney General, and violations would be treated as unfair trade practices under Maine law. The bill does not currently include a private right of action, meaning consumers cannot sue companies directly but can file complaints with the AG's office.
Existing Data Broker Regulations
Maine already defines "information brokers" under state law as entities that collect, assemble, and sell personal information to nonaffiliated third parties for monetary fees. These brokers are required to provide consumers with notice that they can direct the broker not to license their personal information. Violations are treated as unfair trade practices under the Maine Unfair Trade Practices Act, enforceable by the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division.
Major Data Brokers Targeting Maine Residents
Hundreds of data brokers collect and sell personal information about Maine residents. Here are the most common ones and how to opt out of each:
People-Search Sites
- Spokeo: Visit spokeo.com/optout, search for your listing by name, and submit a removal request with your email. Removals typically process within 24 to 48 hours.
- BeenVerified: Go to beenverified.com/f/optout/search, find your listing, and submit the opt-out form. Email verification is required.
- Whitepages: Navigate to whitepages.com/suppression-requests, locate your record, and follow the removal steps. Phone verification is required.
- Radaris: Visit radaris.com/control/privacy, create an account, and submit removal requests for each listing tied to your name.
- TruePeopleSearch: Go to truepeoplesearch.com/removal, find your listing, and submit the form. No account is needed.
- FastPeopleSearch: Visit fastpeoplesearch.com/removal, locate your record, verify via email, and wait for confirmation.
- Intelius: Go to intelius.com/opt-out, search for your record, and submit the form with email verification.
Data Aggregators and Marketing Brokers
- Acxiom: Submit an opt-out request at isapps.acxiom.com/optout
- LexisNexis: File a consumer disclosure request at consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com
- Epsilon: Email optout@epsilon.com with your full name and mailing address
- Oracle Data Cloud: Visit oracle.com/privacy and follow the opt-out instructions for marketing data
- Equifax, Experian, TransUnion: Freeze your credit reports and opt out of prescreened offers at optoutprescreen.com
Warning: Your Data Comes Back
Even after a successful opt-out, your personal information can reappear on data broker sites within weeks or even days. Brokers continuously acquire new records from public sources, voter registrations, property filings, social media, and other brokers. A single opt-out is a temporary fix, not a permanent solution. Maine residents should plan to re-check and resubmit opt-out requests every 60 to 90 days to maintain their removals.
Step-by-Step Manual Opt-Out Process
If you prefer to handle data broker removals yourself, follow this approach:
- Search for your information: Google your full name in quotes along with your city or town (for example, "Jane Smith" Portland ME). Note every data broker, people-search site, or directory that appears in the results.
- Set up a dedicated email: Create a separate email address used only for opt-out requests. This prevents your primary email from being harvested by the same sites you are trying to leave.
- Submit opt-outs one by one: Visit each broker's opt-out or removal page. Some require email verification, others require phone verification, and a few still accept only requests by mail. Keep a spreadsheet to track each submission, the date, and the response.
- Verify removals: Check back in one to two weeks to confirm your listings were actually removed. Some brokers process requests faster than others, and some may only suppress your listing rather than fully deleting it.
- Set calendar reminders: Schedule a reminder every 60 to 90 days to repeat the process. Your data will reappear because brokers continuously refresh their databases from public records and other sources.
Expect the initial round to take 8 to 15 hours depending on how many brokers have your data. With more than 100 known data brokers operating in the United States, this is a significant ongoing time commitment.
What to Do If a Broker Refuses
If a data broker ignores your opt-out request or you believe your privacy rights have been violated, file a complaint with the Maine Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at 6 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333, by phone at (207) 626-8849, or online at maine.gov/ag. Federal laws including the FCRA, HIPAA, and Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act also provide additional protections for specific types of data.
The Automated Alternative
Manual opt-outs are effective in the short term, but they demand hours of effort and must be repeated regularly. For Maine residents who want lasting protection without the ongoing time commitment, automated removal services offer a practical solution.
PrivacyOn submits opt-out requests across over 100 data broker and people-search sites on your behalf and continuously monitors those sites for your information. When your data reappears, a new removal request goes out automatically. This is especially valuable for Maine residents right now: the Maine Online Data Privacy Act's enhanced protections have not yet taken effect, and even after they do, data brokers will still need to be contacted individually unless a centralized deletion mechanism is established.
PrivacyOn plans start at $8.33/month and include continuous scanning, automated removals, dark web monitoring, and detailed progress reports so you can see exactly which brokers have been addressed and which removals are pending.
Looking Ahead
Maine is on the verge of joining the growing list of states with comprehensive data privacy legislation. The Maine Online Data Privacy Act, if signed into law, would give residents strong rights to control their personal data, with a particular emphasis on data minimization and the outright ban on selling sensitive information. Until those protections are fully in place, proactive steps like manual opt-outs or an automated removal service like PrivacyOn remain the most effective way to keep your personal information out of the data broker ecosystem.