How to Opt Out of Harte-Hanks

Harte-Hanks is a direct marketing services company that has been collecting and leveraging consumer data for decades. They specialize in direct mail, email marketing, and data-driven customer engagement for major brands. If your personal information is in their databases, here's how to opt out and limit their use of your data.

What Is Harte-Hanks?

Founded in 1923 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, Harte-Hanks is a global direct marketing company that helps businesses reach consumers through targeted campaigns. Unlike people-search sites that display your information publicly, Harte-Hanks operates behind the scenes, using your data to power marketing efforts for their corporate clients.

The scale of Harte-Hanks' data collection is massive:

• 573 million B2B and B2C insights
• 125 million household records
• 163 million business records
• 306 million global contacts
• 1,200+ customer attributes including demographics, firmographics, behaviors, and psychographics

Harte-Hanks partners with 70+ data brokers for sourcing and verification, tracks real-time buyer intent across 100,000+ websites, and can construct a complete identity from partial data — such as just a phone number, email, name/zip code, IP address, or mobile advertising ID.

How to Opt Out of Harte-Hanks

Harte-Hanks does not provide a simple one-click opt-out form like some people-search sites. Instead, you'll need to contact them directly to request removal.

Option 1: Use the Privacy Preferences Portal (Recommended)

1. Visit privacy-in-action.hartehanks.com
2. Follow the prompts to manage your data preferences
3. Opt out of targeted advertising, data sharing, and marketing databases
4. Save or screenshot your confirmation for your records

Option 2: Email Request

1. Compose an email to privacy@hartehanks.com
2. Include your full name, mailing address, email address, and phone number so they can locate your records accurately
3. State clearly that you are requesting the removal of your personal information from all Harte-Hanks databases and that you wish to opt out of all marketing data sharing
4. Reference applicable privacy laws — mention the CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) or your state's equivalent privacy law if applicable, as this strengthens your request
5. Request written confirmation once your data has been removed

Option 3: Phone Request

1. Call Harte-Hanks' toll-free privacy team (check their website for the current number)
2. Ask to speak with their privacy department
3. Request opt-out of all data sharing and marketing databases
4. Note the date, time, and name of the representative you speak with

Strengthening Your Request With Privacy Laws

Depending on your state of residence, you may have additional legal leverage:

• California (CCPA/CPRA): You have the right to request deletion of personal information and opt out of the sale of your data
• Virginia (VCDPA): Provides rights to access, correct, delete, and opt out of data processing
• Colorado (CPA): Grants similar rights including the right to opt out of targeted advertising
• Connecticut (CTDPA): Includes rights to delete data and opt out of profiling
• Texas (TDPSA): Provides data access and deletion rights effective since 2024

Mentioning the specific law that applies to you in your opt-out request often results in faster processing.

Tips for a Successful Opt-Out

• Use a dedicated email address. Don't provide Harte-Hanks with a new email they don't already have. Use a disposable address for correspondence if possible.
• Keep records of everything. Save copies of all emails, letters, and notes from phone calls. This documentation is essential if you need to escalate a complaint.
• Follow up after 45 days. If you haven't received confirmation, send a follow-up email referencing your original request and any applicable privacy law deadlines.
• File a complaint if needed. If Harte-Hanks fails to honor your request, you can file a complaint with your state attorney general's office or the FTC.

The Bigger Picture: Harte-Hanks Is Just One Broker

Harte-Hanks is one of many direct marketing data brokers that hold your personal information. Companies like Acxiom, Epsilon, and Oracle Data Cloud operate similarly, creating a web of data sharing that makes manual opt-outs a constant battle.

PrivacyOn automates the opt-out process across 100+ data broker sites, including direct marketing companies like Harte-Hanks and consumer-facing people-search sites. With continuous monitoring, PrivacyOn ensures that when your data inevitably reappears in broker databases, it gets removed again — saving you hours of manual work every year.