The DELETE Act would require most data brokers to register with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and to take part in a centralized system the FTC runs for deleting people’s personal information. The bill directs the FTC to make rules for registration, to publish certain registration details, and to build a secure online system that lets a person submit one request that asks all registered data brokers to delete the person’s data and stop collecting it. The system would salt and hash submitted identifiers (like email, phone, and address) and keep separate hashed registries. Registered data brokers would query these hashed registries regularly and delete matches within 31 days, with limited exceptions (for things like required legal compliance or approved human subjects research). Data brokers must report annually on deletion completion, pay an annual subscription fee to access the system (capped at 1 percent of the system’s expected annual cost), and undergo independent third-party audits every three years. The FTC would enforce the rules using its existing authority and would study and report on the system’s operation for several years. The law would preempt inconsistent state privacy laws, except where a state law gives greater protection.
If this bill becomes law, you could use a free FTC webpage to submit one form that asks many data brokers to delete personal information tied to identifiers you provide. The form would include email, phone number, physical address, and other persistent identifiers the FTC requires. Data brokers that are registered and that maintain such identifiers would check hashed registries and would be required to delete matching records and stop future collection, generally within 31 days. Some data may be kept only when required by law or for approved human subjects research, and such retained data must be used only for those limited purposes. The FTC would publish guidance for how brokers must carry out deletions and would track deletion requests and enforcement activities.
The bill allows the FTC to charge registered data brokers an annual subscription fee to access the centralized system. That fee may not exceed 1 percent of the FTC’s expected annual cost to operate the system. Amounts collected would be available to the FTC without further appropriation to run and enforce the program, and to promote public awareness. The bill requires periodic third-party audits by data brokers and annual reporting to the FTC, which imply administrative costs for brokers and the Commission. No publicly available information on total expected costs or specific budget estimates is included in the bill text.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.