How to Opt Out of Data Brokers in Tennessee

Tennessee residents gained significant new privacy rights when the Tennessee Information Protection Act (TIPA) took effect on July 1, 2025. The law gives you the right to opt out of data sales, request deletion of your personal information, and hold businesses accountable when they fail to comply. But exercising those rights across the sprawling data broker industry takes knowledge, persistence, and a clear plan. Here is how to take control of your personal data in Tennessee.

Understanding the Tennessee Information Protection Act (TIPA)

The Tennessee Information Protection Act was signed into law by Governor Bill Lee in May 2023 and became effective on July 1, 2025. It is Tennessee's first comprehensive consumer data privacy law, joining a growing number of state-level privacy statutes across the country.

TIPA applies to businesses that conduct operations in Tennessee or produce products and services targeted at Tennessee residents, provided they meet specific thresholds: the business must exceed $25 million in annual revenue and either control the personal information of at least 175,000 Tennessee residents, or control personal information of at least 25,000 Tennessee residents while deriving more than 50 percent of gross revenue from selling personal information.

That second threshold is particularly important because it captures data brokers directly. Companies whose primary business model is buying and selling consumer data are squarely within TIPA's scope, even if they are relatively small operations.

Your Rights Under TIPA

As a Tennessee resident, TIPA grants you the following rights:

• Right to confirm and access: You can ask any covered business whether it is processing your personal information and obtain a copy of that data.
• Right to correct: You can request that inaccuracies in your personal information be fixed.
• Right to delete: You can ask a business to delete the personal information it has collected about you.
• Right to data portability: You can obtain a copy of your personal information in a portable, readily usable format.
• Right to opt out of data sales: You can direct a business to stop selling your personal information.
• Right to opt out of targeted advertising: You can opt out of having your data processed for targeted advertising purposes.
• Right to opt out of profiling: You can opt out of profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects concerning you.

Businesses must respond to your requests within 45 days, with a possible 45-day extension if the request is complex. If a business denies your request, you have the right to appeal that decision.

Step 1: Find Out Which Data Brokers Have Your Information

Before you can opt out, you need to know who has your data. Start by searching for yourself on major people search sites and data aggregators. Use your full name, city, phone number, and any former addresses as search terms. The most common data brokers listing Tennessee residents include:

• Spokeo
• Whitepages
• BeenVerified
• Intelius
• TruePeopleSearch
• PeopleFinders
• Radaris
• FastPeopleSearch
• Nuwber
• MyLife
• TruthFinder
• USSearch

Also run a general Google search for your name in quotes along with your city or state. Data broker listings often appear on the first page of results, making it easy to identify which sites are exposing your personal details.

Keep a record of every site where your information appears. You will need this list for the next step.

Step 2: Submit Individual Opt-Out Requests

Each data broker has its own removal process. While the exact steps vary by site, the general approach is consistent:

1. Locate the opt-out page. Look for links labeled "Do Not Sell My Personal Information," "Privacy," or "Opt Out" in the site footer or privacy policy.
2. Find your listing. Search for your profile on the broker's site and copy the direct URL to your record.
3. Complete the opt-out form. Provide the required information, which typically includes your name, email address, and the URL of the listing you want removed.
4. Verify your identity. Most brokers will send a confirmation email or require phone verification before processing the removal.
5. Wait for processing. Removal timelines range from 24 hours to 30 days, depending on the broker.
6. Confirm removal. After the processing period, check the site again to verify your listing is gone.

When submitting your request, reference the Tennessee Information Protection Act explicitly. State that you are exercising your right to opt out of the sale of your personal data and to request deletion under TIPA. This puts the business on notice of its 45-day legal deadline and strengthens your position if you need to escalate.

Step 3: Report Violations to the Tennessee Attorney General

TIPA is enforced exclusively by the Tennessee Attorney General. There is no private right of action, meaning you cannot sue a data broker directly for violating the law. However, the AG's enforcement authority is meaningful: violations can result in civil penalties of up to $7,500 per violation, and businesses are given a 60-day cure period to fix any reported issue before penalties are imposed.

If a data broker ignores your opt-out request, fails to respond within 45 days, or denies your request without a valid basis, you can file a complaint with the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs through their online complaint portal. Include documentation of your original request, any responses received, and the relevant dates. Consumer complaints help the AG's office identify repeat offenders and prioritize enforcement actions.

The Practical Challenge: Scale

There are well over 100 data broker sites that may hold your personal information at any given time. Each one requires a separate opt-out form, a separate verification step, and separate follow-up to confirm removal. A thorough first pass through the major brokers can take 20 to 40 hours of manual work. And because data reappears continuously, you need to repeat the process every few months to stay protected.

For most people, that level of ongoing effort is simply not realistic. The law gives you the rights, but the fragmented nature of the data broker industry makes it extraordinarily difficult to exercise those rights at scale without help.

Let PrivacyOn Handle Your Data Broker Opt-Outs

PrivacyOn automates data broker removal across more than 100 sites, including every major broker that lists Tennessee residents. We submit opt-out and deletion requests on your behalf, continuously monitor for re-listings, and re-submit removal requests whenever your information reappears. Our service also includes dark web monitoring so you are alerted if your personal data surfaces in places that no opt-out request can reach.

TIPA gives Tennessee residents meaningful privacy rights, but turning those rights into actual privacy protection requires sustained effort across dozens of brokers. PrivacyOn handles that work for you, keeping your personal information off the sites where it does not belong. Family plans cover up to five people, so your entire household can stay protected under a single subscription.

Key Takeaways for Tennessee Residents

• TIPA has been in effect since July 1, 2025, giving you enforceable rights to opt out of data sales, request deletion, and correct inaccurate data.
• Tennessee does not require recognition of universal opt-out signals like GPC, so you must contact each data broker individually.
• Businesses must respond to your requests within 45 days or face potential enforcement by the Attorney General.
• Data removal is not permanent. Brokers rebuild profiles from public records and third-party sources, requiring ongoing vigilance.
• Filing complaints with the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs strengthens enforcement and holds noncompliant brokers accountable.
• Automated services like PrivacyOn can manage the entire opt-out process at scale, saving you dozens of hours and ensuring continuous protection.