New York is home to over 19 million residents whose personal data is actively traded by hundreds of data brokers. Despite being a leader in financial regulation and consumer protection, New York still lacks a comprehensive consumer privacy law — leaving residents with fewer tools to control their personal information than people in states like California, Colorado, or Virginia. Here is what New York residents can do right now to opt out of data brokers and protect their privacy.
New York's Current Privacy Landscape
Understanding what legal protections you currently have as a New York resident is the first step toward exercising your rights.
The SHIELD Act (2019)
The Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security (SHIELD) Act, enacted in 2019, is New York's primary data protection law. It does two important things:
- Broadens breach notification requirements: Companies that hold personal data of New York residents must notify them promptly if that data is exposed in a breach — even if the company is not based in New York
- Requires reasonable data security: Businesses must implement reasonable safeguards to protect the private information of New York residents, including administrative, technical, and physical protections
However, the SHIELD Act does not give you the right to request deletion of your data, opt out of data sales, or access what information a company holds about you. It is a security and notification law, not a comprehensive privacy law.
The Proposed NY Privacy Act
New York legislators have repeatedly introduced comprehensive privacy bills, but none have passed into law as of April 2026. The New York Privacy Act (Senate Bill S3044), introduced in January 2025, would grant New Yorkers rights similar to those in California's CCPA/CPRA, including the right to access, delete, and opt out of the sale of personal data. The bill also includes proposed data broker registration requirements.
Until comprehensive legislation passes, New York residents must rely on a patchwork of federal laws and manual opt-out processes.
Federal Laws That Apply in New York
While New York lacks its own comprehensive privacy law, several federal laws provide limited protections. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you the right to dispute inaccurate information with credit reporting agencies like Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act protects financial information. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) covers medical records. The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) protects data of children under 13. These laws are narrow in scope but can be useful for specific types of data.
Major Data Brokers Operating in New York
Dozens of data brokers actively collect and sell personal information about New York residents. Here are the most prominent ones and how to opt out of each:
People-Search Sites
- Spokeo: Visit spokeo.com/optout, search for your listing, and submit a removal request with your email address. Removal typically takes 24 to 48 hours.
- BeenVerified: Go to beenverified.com/f/optout/search, find your listing, and submit the opt-out form. Processing takes up to 24 hours.
- Whitepages: Visit whitepages.com/suppression-requests, search for your listing, and follow the removal steps. You will need to verify via phone call.
- Radaris: Go to radaris.com/control/privacy, create an account, and submit removal requests for your listings.
- Intelius: Visit intelius.com/opt-out, search for your record, and submit the opt-out form with email verification.
- PeopleFinders: Go to peoplefinders.com/manage, find your listing, and click the opt-out button.
- FastPeopleSearch: Visit fastpeoplesearch.com/removal, find your listing, verify by email, and wait for removal confirmation.
Data Aggregators and Marketing Brokers
- Acxiom: Submit an opt-out request at isapps.acxiom.com/optout
- Oracle Data Cloud (formerly Datalogix): Visit oracle.com/privacy and follow the opt-out process for marketing data
- LexisNexis: Submit a consumer disclosure request at consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com
- Epsilon: Email optout@epsilon.com with your full name and mailing address
Opt-Outs Are Not Permanent
Even after you successfully opt out of a data broker, your information can reappear within weeks or months. Data brokers continuously acquire new data from public records, social media, purchase histories, and other brokers. A one-time opt-out is a start, but ongoing monitoring is essential to keep your data off these sites permanently. This is the core challenge that makes manual opt-outs so frustrating for New York residents.
Step-by-Step Manual Opt-Out Process
If you decide to tackle data broker removal on your own, follow this structured approach:
- Search for yourself: Google your full name in quotes along with your city and state. Note which data broker sites appear in results.
- Create a dedicated email: Set up a separate email address specifically for opt-out requests. This prevents your primary email from being harvested by the very sites you are trying to leave.
- Visit each broker's opt-out page: Follow the specific process for each site. Keep records of every submission.
- Verify removals: Check back in one to two weeks to confirm your listings were actually removed.
- Repeat regularly: Set a calendar reminder to re-check every 60 to 90 days, because your data will reappear.
This process typically takes 10 to 15 hours to complete for the first pass, and several hours each quarter for ongoing maintenance. With over 100 known data brokers operating in the United States, manual removal is a significant time commitment.
California's DROP Platform: For Dual Residents
If you split time between New York and California, or if you have California residency, you can take advantage of California's Delete Request Orchestration Portal (DROP). This state-run platform, launched under the California Delete Act (SB 362), allows California residents to submit a single deletion request that is forwarded to all registered data brokers. Unfortunately, this tool is only available to California residents.
The Automated Alternative
Given that New York lacks a comprehensive privacy law or a state-run opt-out portal, automated data removal services provide the most practical solution for New York residents who want to reclaim their privacy.
PrivacyOn handles opt-out requests across over 100 data broker sites automatically and continuously. Instead of spending hours navigating individual opt-out forms — and then doing it all over again every few months — PrivacyOn monitors these sites for your personal information and submits removal requests on your behalf whenever your data reappears. This is especially valuable for New York residents since the state currently offers no legal mechanism for a single, comprehensive data deletion request.
Plans start at $8.33/month and cover continuous scanning, automated removals, and regular progress reports showing which brokers have been addressed and which removals are pending.
Looking Ahead
New York's privacy landscape is evolving. With multiple comprehensive privacy bills under consideration, it is likely that New Yorkers will eventually gain the same rights that residents of California, Colorado, Virginia, Connecticut, and other states already enjoy. Until then, proactive steps — whether manual opt-outs or automated removal services — are the best way to protect your personal information from data brokers.