Texas residents face unique privacy challenges. Public records here are unusually accessible, making it easy for data brokers to harvest your home address, phone number, and property details. Fortunately, a new state law gives you stronger rights than ever to fight back.
Why Texans Need to Worry About Data Brokers
Data brokers collect, package, and sell your personal information—name, address, phone number, income, property records, political affiliation, and more—to anyone willing to pay. In Texas, county appraisal districts publish home values and ownership online, voter rolls are searchable statewide, and court records are freely downloadable. This creates a goldmine for the hundreds of data brokers that scrape and monetize your information.
The result: constant spam, targeted scams, identity theft exposure, and for some Texans—oil executives, judges, law enforcement, medical professionals—genuine physical safety concerns.
Does Texas Have a Privacy Law?
Yes. The Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA) took effect July 1, 2024. It gives Texas residents key rights over their personal data:
- Right to access the personal data businesses hold about you
- Right to correct inaccurate personal data
- Right to delete personal data
- Right to data portability—receive a copy in a usable format
- Right to opt out of sale of personal data, targeted advertising, and profiling
The TDPSA applies to businesses that conduct business in Texas and process personal data of a significant number of Texas residents. Most major data brokers fall under its umbrella.
Who Enforces the TDPSA?
The Texas Attorney General has exclusive enforcement authority. There is no private right of action, meaning you can't sue a data broker directly—but you can file complaints with the AG's office at texasattorneygeneral.gov. Businesses have 30 days to cure violations before penalties apply.
Step 1: Identify Where Your Information Is Listed
Start by searching your own name on Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo. Try variations like "John Smith Houston Texas" or "John Smith + zip code." Make a list of every site displaying your information. Common offenders include:
- TruePeopleSearch
- Spokeo
- WhitePages
- BeenVerified
- PeopleFinders
- FastPeopleSearch
- Radaris
- MyLife
- Intelius
- Nuwber
Step 2: Submit Opt-Out Requests
Every data broker must provide a way to opt out, though they deliberately make it hard. For each site:
- Find the privacy policy or "Do Not Sell My Info" link (usually footer)
- Locate the opt-out form or designated email address
- Submit your name, address, and identifying information
- Verify your request via the confirmation email
- Wait 7–30 days and re-check your profile
Step 3: Invoke Your TDPSA Rights
For data brokers without a simple opt-out form, email them citing the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act.
Sample TDPSA Opt-Out Email
"Under the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act, I request that you delete all personal data you hold about me and opt me out of the sale of my personal data, targeted advertising, and profiling. My information: [Name, DOB, current address, previous addresses]. Please confirm completion within 45 days as required by law."
Step 4: Address Texas-Specific Public Records
Texas public records fuel most of the data broker ecosystem here. Key sources:
- County appraisal district records—your home's value, address, and ownership are public
- Voter registration—your name, address, and party are searchable
- Court records—available through each county's online portal
- Professional licenses—Texas maintains public databases of licensed professionals
While you can't erase yourself entirely from public records, you can request address confidentiality through the Texas Attorney General's Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) if you're a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking.
Stay Persistent—Or Get Help
Data brokers routinely re-add your information weeks after removal. You'll need to repeat opt-outs every 3–6 months to stay off their databases permanently. Most Texans eventually turn to automated removal services to handle the ongoing workload.
The Easier Way: Automated Removal
Manually opting out of 100+ data brokers takes around 40 hours of work plus ongoing monitoring. PrivacyOn automates the entire process. We submit opt-out requests on your behalf to more than 100 data broker sites, re-submit when they relist you, and monitor the dark web for leaks of your personal information.
For Texas residents, PrivacyOn also handles the more obscure regional brokers that scrape Texas public records—giving you coverage far beyond what you'd get doing it yourself. Plans start at $8.33/month and include family coverage for up to 5 people.
Texas Privacy Resources
- Texas Attorney General Consumer Protection: File complaints at texasattorneygeneral.gov
- Address Confidentiality Program: For survivors of violence
- Texas Identity Theft Victim's Kit: Free from the Texas AG
Take Action Today
Your Texas public records, combined with data broker aggregation, expose everything from your home address to your political beliefs. The TDPSA gives you rights—but exercising them requires persistent work. Whether you tackle opt-outs manually or let PrivacyOn handle the entire process, the important thing is to start now before your information fuels the next identity theft attempt or targeted scam.