Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can go to each Data Broker website and Opt-Out for free.

The reason we created the Opt-Out Machine is that it is really difficult and time consuming. Surveillance Companies (aka Data Brokers) are hard to find, create difficult time-consuming processes and generally make it hard. Often they ask to verify your identity. Imagine doing that at over 300 websites?

It's way easier to use an automated solution.

There are currently over 300 companies that you can send requests to with the Opt-Out Machine. These are primarily companies known as "data brokers" - who are in the business of buying and selling data about you. We've listed a number of them here.

There are several privacy laws that give you privacy rights. One of the more important ones, the CCPA in California, give companies 45 days to comply with a request, and in some cases 90 days. You can't really complete the process in less time. That law also states that an Opt-Out is good for 12 months.

We are also adding new companies to Opt-Out of throughout the year, as well as tracking those that change their names, or stand up new companies to trade your data. This happens pretty frequently with some Data Brokers, who create subsidiaries or new entities to stay off the radar of regulators or others.

Yes. If you are not satisfied, we are happy to offer a full refund. We can't promise that the Data Brokers will comply with the law or do what what the Opt-Out Machine asks, but it won't be for lack of trying.

Once registered, all you have to do is verify your identity and give the Opt-Out Machine permission to act on your behalf. Then, you hit the button to initiate the Opt-Out Machine. It will send the requests to hundreds of companies. It is very satisfying to watch it go. After that, everything is automated.

We wrote a post about this. Check it out: https://www.knownprivacy.com/education/why-privacy-matters