Why Are Hundreds of Data Brokers not Registering with States? 

Written in collaboration with the Electronic Frontier Foundation  

A unified database of 750+ data brokers across five state registries—and the compliance gaps we found

Hundreds of data brokers have not registered with state consumer protection agencies. These findings come as more states are passing data broker transparency laws that require brokers to provide information about their business and, in some cases, give consumers an easy way to opt out.  

In recent years, California, Texas, Oregon, and Vermont have passed data broker registration laws that require brokers to identify themselves to state regulators and the public. A new analysis by Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC) and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) reveals that many data brokers registered in one state aren’t registered in others.   

PRC and EFF sent letters to state enforcement agencies urging them to investigate these findings. More investigation by states is needed to determine whether these registration discrepancies reflect widespread noncompliance, gaps and definitional differences in the various state laws, or some other explanation.