Right now, dozens of companies are making money by selling your data — your name, address, phone number, browsing habits, purchase history, location data, and more. You never agreed to most of it, and you probably don’t even know which companies are doing it.
This isn’t a conspiracy theory. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry built on your personal information. Data brokers, social media platforms, apps, internet service providers, and retailers all participate in the data economy — and you’re the product.
But you’re not powerless. This guide shows you exactly how to stop companies from selling your data — starting with the biggest offenders.
In this guide:
- Who’s selling your data (and how)
- How to stop data brokers from selling your information
- How to stop your ISP from selling your browsing data
- How to stop apps from selling your data
- How to exercise your legal rights
See who’s selling your data right now: Run a free Optery scan to check which data broker sites are currently listing and selling your personal information. The results are usually eye-opening.
Who’s Selling Your Data?
The list of companies selling your data is longer than most people realize:
Data brokers. This is the biggest and most direct source. Over 4,000 data broker companies in the US collect, package, and sell your personal information — name, address, phone number, email, age, family members, income estimates, political affiliations, health interests, and much more. They sell to advertisers, marketers, background check companies, insurers, and anyone else willing to pay. Some sell to scammers and criminals, either directly or through intermediaries.
Your internet service provider (ISP). In the US, ISPs are legally allowed to collect and sell your browsing data — every website you visit, when you visit it, and how long you stay. Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, and other major ISPs all participate in some form of data monetization.
Social media platforms. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and others collect massive amounts of data about your interests, behavior, social connections, and demographics. They sell access to this data through targeted advertising platforms. Your social media profiles are also scraped by data brokers.
Mobile apps. Many free apps monetize by collecting and selling your data — location, contacts, browsing, usage patterns. Even paid apps sometimes sell data. Your phone tracks you through multiple channels that feed the data economy.
Retailers and loyalty programs. Every purchase you make with a loyalty card or online account is tracked. Retailers sell this purchase data to data brokers and advertisers. Your shopping habits become someone else’s product.
Public records offices. Government agencies make public records available — and data brokers bulk-download these records to build profiles. Property records, voter registration, court filings — all feeding the data economy.
Step 1: Stop Data Brokers from Selling Your Information
Data brokers are the biggest offenders when it comes to selling your data. They’re also the most actionable to address because every major broker offers an opt-out process.
The scale of the problem: Your personal information is listed on an estimated 200-600+ data broker sites. Each one sells your data independently. Each one has a different opt-out process. Manually opting out of all of them takes 40-80 hours and needs to be repeated every 3-6 months because brokers re-list your data.
The fast approach (recommended):
Optery — Our top recommendation. Start with their free scan to see exactly which brokers are selling your data. Paid plans ($39-$249/year) automate opt-out requests to 350+ data broker sites with continuous monitoring that catches re-listings. Ranked #1 most effective by Consumer Reports. Read our full Optery review →
Incogni — Best budget option. Covers 180+ data brokers for $6.49/month billed annually. Continuous monitoring prevents re-listings. Read our full Incogni review →
The manual approach (free but time-consuming): Use our removal guides for individual sites:
- Whitepages | Spokeo | BeenVerified | TruePeopleSearch
- FastPeopleSearch | MyLife | Radaris | Intelius
- PeopleFinder | Nuwber
Complete list: How to Opt Out of Data Brokers.
Step 2: Stop Your ISP from Selling Your Browsing Data
Your internet service provider sees every website you visit and can sell that data. Here’s how to stop them:
Use a VPN. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic so your ISP can only see that you’re connecting to the VPN server — not which websites you’re visiting. This is the most effective way to prevent ISP data selling.
Check your ISP’s privacy settings. Most ISPs offer some form of opt-out from data sharing in their account settings. Log into your ISP account and look for privacy or data sharing preferences. Opt out of everything.
Use encrypted DNS. Switch to a privacy-focused DNS provider like Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or Google Public DNS (8.8.8.8). This prevents your ISP from seeing your DNS queries — which reveal which websites you’re trying to visit.
Use HTTPS everywhere. Most websites now use HTTPS, which encrypts the content of your connection. Your ISP can still see which domains you visit, but not the specific pages or content. A browser extension like HTTPS Everywhere ensures you always use the encrypted version of websites.
Step 3: Stop Apps from Selling Your Data
Mobile apps are some of the worst offenders when it comes to selling your data. Here’s how to limit what they collect:
Audit your app permissions. Go through every app on your phone and review what it has access to. Does a flashlight app need your location? Does a game need access to your contacts? Revoke any permissions that aren’t essential to the app’s core function.
iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → review each category (Location, Contacts, Camera, Microphone, etc.)
Android: Settings → Privacy → Permission Manager → review each category
Disable your advertising ID. This is the unique identifier apps use to track you across platforms.
iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking → turn OFF “Allow Apps to Request to Track”
Android: Settings → Privacy → Ads → “Delete advertising ID”
Delete apps you don’t use. Every app on your phone is a potential data collection pipeline. If you haven’t used it in 30 days, delete it.
Read privacy policies before installing. Look for phrases like “share with third parties,” “advertising partners,” or “data monetization.” If an app openly states it sells your data, consider whether you really need it.
Use a secondary phone number. Get a free Google Voice number for app signups. This prevents your real phone number from being sold through app data sharing.
Step 4: Stop Social Media from Selling Your Data
Social media platforms don’t directly “sell” your data in the traditional sense — they sell ACCESS to you through targeted advertising. But the effect is the same: your personal information is being monetized.
Lock down privacy settings. Full platform-by-platform guide: How to Protect Your Privacy on Social Media.
Disable ad personalization. Each platform lets you opt out of personalized advertising in their settings. This doesn’t stop data collection entirely, but it reduces how much your data is used for targeting.
Remove personal details from profiles. Delete your phone number, email, address, birthday, and employer from all social media profiles. This information feeds data brokers and makes you a more valuable advertising target.
Revoke third-party app access. Connected apps on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter can access and share your data. Review and remove any you don’t actively use.
Consider the trade-off. Social media platforms offer free services in exchange for your data. The more you use them and the more you share, the more data they collect and monetize. Reducing usage or switching to privacy-focused alternatives reduces data collection.
Step 5: Stop Retailers from Selling Your Purchase Data
Every purchase you make creates data that can be sold. Here’s how to minimize it:
Drop unnecessary loyalty programs. Loyalty cards track every purchase and link it to your identity. The 5% discount often isn’t worth the data you’re giving up. Only keep loyalty programs you genuinely use and value.
Use cash for privacy-sensitive purchases. Cash doesn’t create a digital trail. For purchases you don’t want tracked, cash is still the most private payment method.
Use virtual credit card numbers. Some banks and services (like Privacy.com) let you generate virtual card numbers for online purchases. This prevents retailers from linking purchases back to your real identity.
Opt out of data sharing. Many retailers have privacy settings in your online account that let you opt out of data sharing with third parties. Check your account settings for each major retailer you shop with.
Stop junk mail. Retailers share your mailing address with direct marketing companies. Opt out of pre-screened offers (1-888-5-OPT-OUT) and register with DMAchoice.org to reduce direct marketing mail.
Step 6: Exercise Your Legal Rights
Depending on your state, you may have legal rights to stop companies from selling your data:
California residents: The CCPA/CPRA gives you the right to opt out of the sale of your personal information. Look for “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” links on company websites. California’s DELETE Act also lets you submit one deletion request to all registered data brokers through the DROP platform. Full state privacy law guide →
Other state residents: Many states now have privacy laws that include opt-out rights for data sales — Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Texas, Oregon, and others. Check our Privacy Laws by State guide for your specific rights.
For everyone: Even without a state law, you can submit opt-out requests to data brokers and companies. Most honor these requests regardless of your state because it’s easier than building state-specific systems. Reference California’s CCPA in your requests for extra weight.
The Complete “Stop Selling My Data” Action Plan
Here’s everything in one checklist to stop companies from selling your data:
Today (15 minutes):
- Run a free Optery scan to see which data brokers are selling your information
- Disable your phone’s advertising ID
- Opt out of pre-screened credit offers (call 1-888-5-OPT-OUT)
This week (1-2 hours):
- Sign up for Optery or Incogni to automate data broker removal
- Lock down social media privacy settings on all platforms
- Audit and revoke unnecessary app permissions on your phone
- Delete apps you don’t use
This month:
- Set up a VPN to prevent ISP data selling
- Review and opt out of data sharing in retailer accounts
- Set up Google Voice as a secondary number for future signups
- Freeze your credit with all three bureaus
Ongoing:
- Keep data broker monitoring active through Optery or Incogni
- Review app permissions quarterly
- Check your state’s privacy laws for new rights as legislation evolves
You can’t stop all data selling overnight. But every step you take removes another company’s ability to profit from your personal information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal for companies to sell my data?
In most of the US, yes. There’s no comprehensive federal law prohibiting the sale of personal data. Some states like California have passed laws giving residents the right to opt out. Check your state’s privacy rights →
Which companies sell the most personal data?
Data brokers are the biggest sellers — companies like Whitepages, Spokeo, BeenVerified, and hundreds of others whose entire business model is collecting and selling personal information. ISPs, social media platforms, and app developers also monetize your data.
Can I stop all data selling?
Not completely — public records will always be accessible, and some data collection is unavoidable in modern life. But you can dramatically reduce it by removing yourself from data broker sites, locking down app permissions, using a VPN, and exercising your legal opt-out rights.
What’s the most effective single step to stop data selling?
Remove your data from data broker sites. Data brokers are the primary pipeline through which your personal information is sold to advertisers, scammers, and other buyers. Start with a free Optery scan to see your exposure.
Do I need to pay to stop companies from selling my data?
Many steps are free — opting out of data brokers manually, changing app permissions, adjusting privacy settings. Automated data broker removal services like Incogni ($6.49/month) save you significant time. VPNs typically cost $3-12/month.
Will opting out of data selling affect my services?
By law, companies can’t penalize you for exercising your privacy rights. Opting out of data selling should not affect your service quality, pricing, or access. If a company treats you differently after opting out, that may violate your state’s privacy law.
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