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    Safety & Privacy
    Intermediate
    2 min read 6 stepsApril 2, 2026Verified April 2026

    Your Data Privacy Rights in the United States

    Know what rights you have over your personal data collected by companies online.

    At a Glance

    Category
    Safety & Privacy
    Difficulty
    Intermediate
    Read Time
    2 min read
    Steps
    6
    Topics covered
    privacy
    data-rights
    legal
    consumer-protection

    In this guide (6 steps):

    1. 1.There is no single federal law
    2. 2.California (CCPA/CPRA)
    3. 3.Other state laws
    4. 4.Federal protections
    5. 5.How to exercise your rights
    6. 6.Practical steps
    1

    There is no single federal law

    ~15s
    Unlike Europe's GDPR, the US does not have one comprehensive data privacy law. However, several state laws and federal regulations protect your data in specific areas.
    2

    California (CCPA/CPRA)

    ~15s
    If you are in California, you have the right to know what data companies collect, request deletion of your data, opt out of data sales, and cannot be discriminated against for exercising these rights.
    3

    Other state laws

    ~15s
    Colorado, Connecticut, Virginia, Utah, and more states have passed privacy laws. These generally give you rights to access, delete, and opt out of the sale of your personal data.
    4

    Federal protections

    ~15s
    HIPAA protects health data. COPPA protects children under 13. FCRA protects credit information. FERPA protects education records.
    5

    How to exercise your rights

    ~15s
    Look for "Do Not Sell My Personal Information" links on websites. Use the "Privacy" or "Your Privacy Choices" links in website footers. You can also contact companies directly to request data deletion.
    6

    Practical steps

    ~15s
    Use privacy-focused browsers (Firefox, Brave). Enable "Do Not Track" in your browser settings. Use ad blockers. Regularly review and delete your Google, Facebook, and Amazon data.

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    Official Resources

    FTC Consumer ProtectionCISA — Cybersecurity TipsAARP Fraud Watch Network

    Sources used to create and verify this guide. View all sources →

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