Oakland Privacy

Name	Description	Information You Can Find
Surveillance Self Defense	A guide from the Electronic Frontier Foundation that teaches you how to protect your privacy online. It covers tools, strategies, and step-by-step tutorials for defending yourself from government and corporate surveillance.	Attending a Protest   How to: Get to Know iPhone Privacy and Security Settings   Privacy for Students
Defend Our Movements	A toolkit for activists, organizers, and marginalized communities to strengthen digital security.	Using Facebook in an Era of Mass Deportation   Anti-Doxing Guide for Activists Facing Attacks from the Alt-Right
Tech Activist	A resource hub focused on tech education and privacy rights for Black and brown communities. Offers workshops and training to empower digital freedom and resist surveillance.	Ongoing Virtual Classes – Offline and Online Security Tips for Protesters and Organizers
Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC)	EPIC is a public interest research center in Washington, DC. EPIC routinely files amicus briefs in federal courts, pursues open government cases, defends consumer privacy, organizes conferences for NGOs, and speaks before Congress and judicial organizations about emerging privacy and civil liberties issues.	Guide to Practical Privacy Tools
Civil Liberties Defense Center	Provides legal support and education for activists and movements. Focuses on defending civil rights in court and offering “know your rights” resources.	Digital Security Program
Equality Labs	Equality Labs is a coalition of artists, advocates, healers, technologists and organizers working on intractable systems of oppression through a collaborative solution-making model for movements.	Digital Security
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse	Privacy Rights Clearinghouse is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to advancing data privacy for all by expanding access to information, increasing participation in policy discussions, and advocating for stronger rights.	Law Overview   Mobile Health and Fitness apps
Wizcase Online Privacy Guide	A great introduction to Virtual Private Networks with pictures and practical advice!
Privacy Guides	Privacy Guides is a socially motivated website that provides information for protecting your data security and privacy. We are a non-profit project with a mission to inform the public about the value of digital privacy, and about global government initiatives which aim to monitor your online activity. Our website is free of advertisements and not affiliated with any of the listed providers. Privacy Guides is built by volunteers and staff members around the world. All changes to our recommendations and resources are reviewed by at least two trusted individuals, and we work diligently to ensure our content is updated as quickly as possible to adapt to the ever-changing cybersecurity threat landscape.	Recommended Privacy Tools
Privacy Tools	The older website of Privacy Guides, created in 2015 after the Snowden revelations.	Guide
Digital Privacy YouTube Videos	NBTV is a project of the Ludlow Institute, a research and media institute dedicated to helping you reclaim control of your digital life. Created and hosted by Naomi Brockwell.	Find videos HERE!

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—- Published January 2026 —-

In California, there is a powerful new law called the Delete Act (and a tool it creates called DROP). If you live in California, this is a game-changer for your privacy.

What is the “Delete Act”?

Right now, there are hundreds of companies called “Data Brokers.” These are companies you’ve likely never heard of, but their entire job is to collect your personal info (like your income, your hobbies, or your political party) and sell it to others.

Even if you are careful with what you post on social media, Data Brokers are still “vacuuming up” info about you from public records and other apps, from what you buy to where you visit to whom you are related to!

Before this law, if you wanted your data deleted, you had to find every single one of those hundreds of companies and ask them one by one, an almost impossible task!

The Delete Act changes that. It creates a “one-stop-shop” where you can tell every registered data broker ALL AT ONCE to delete your information. 

What is “DROP”?

DROP stands for the Delete Request and Opt-out Platform.

Think of it like the “Do Not Call” registry, but for your personal data. Starting in January 2026, you will be able to go to a single website and click one button, which will send a “Delete Me” notice to every Data Broker in California.

Why should you care?

• Stops the Profiling: A DROP notice stops companies from building a secret file on you to decide what ads you see or whether to approve you for certain services.
• Ongoing Protection: Once you make the request through DROP, data brokers have to keep deleting your info every 45 days. They can’t just delete it once and then start collecting it again the next week.
• Stiff Penalties: If a company doesn’t follow your request, the state can fine them $200 per day, per request. This financial punishment makes companies take your privacy very seriously.

What should you do?

Use the DROP Button, starting Jan 2026

The official platform (DROP), built by the California Privacy Protection Agency, is HERE.

You might see companies today offering to “clean up your data” for a monthly fee. While some are helpful, remember that the California DROP platform will be FREE. You won’t have to pay a private company to do what the state is making available for everyone.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

HERE is a more in-depth explanation of the DELETE Act and the DROP tool it creates.

HERE is a more in-depth video about Data Brokers.

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—- Published January 2026 —-