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How to Opt Out
This portion of ConsumerPrivacyGuide.org is designed to help you limit unwanted telemarketing and direct mail solicitations. Many of these solicitations occur because a company you have done business with has sold or shared your personal information. Limiting the use of your information requires that you ask the companies to remove you from their customer lists—in other words, that you "opt out."
Primary and Secondary Use
When you place an order for a product or service with a Web site, you will probably provide them with some information that allows them to fill your order: name and address, billing information, sizes and color preferences. Use of the information for the purpose for which you gave out the information - completeing the transaction - is often referred to as a "primary use." When the company uses your information for purposes unrelated to completing their transaction with you, for example, to market to you in the future, or to share with other companies, that use is referred to as a "secondary use."
| A consumer "opts out" by telling a company that he doesn't want them to use information for certain purposes or to sell it to others. |
Consumers who object to the secondary use of their information, "opting out" is a way to request that the company not use it for these purposes. A consumer "opts out" by telling a company that he doesn't want them to use information for certain purposes or to sell it to others. Typically, when a person opts out, she is not actually taken off a list but added to a list of people that do not want their personal information shared with other companies or who do not want to receive telemarketing calls or direct mail.
Some opt-outs are permanent, but sometime the opt-out is valid for a limited amount of time.
You can exercise an opt out in several ways:
- Contact your bank, grocery store, utilities, and phone company directly and ask that they do not distribute your personal information.
- Write or call the magazines that you subscribe to and ask them not to release your mailing information when they make their subscription list available.
- Direct marketers are required under the rules of the Direct Marketing Association to provide an opportunity to opt out. Even if the site does not offer the opt out, when placing orders online or on the phone, ask that your information not be shared.
- Contact Operation Opt-Out, which provides you with a link to companies that provide you with an opportunity to opt out online. Operation Opt-out also enables you to generate and mail letters to companies that do not allow you to opt out online.
The Impact of Opting Out
Placing yourself on the DMA's opt-out lists for telemarketing and direct mail should reduce the number of calls and mailings you receive. Placing yourself on the opt-out lists with the credit bureaus will limit the number of credit card applications you receive in the mail. Opting out at various businesses will prevent your information from being shared with other businesses. When you opt out of lists you will reduce the number of catalogs and informational mailings you receive from companies.
For more about opting out, the following sites may be helpful:
All privacy seal organizations require their members to offer consumers the ability to opt out.
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