In yet another reminder that California takes data privacy seriously, this month, the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) fined Florida-based data broker Jerico Pictures, Inc. (d/b/a National Public Data) $46,000 for failing to register under the state’s Delete Act.

The fine is the maximum allowed by law and was imposed after the company failed to register with the state’s Data Broker Registry for over 230 days. Registration only occurred after the CPPA’s Enforcement Division contacted the company during an investigation. National Public Data did not contest the allegations, prompting the CPPA Board to issue a default order.

“This case arose under the Delete Act rather than under California’s comprehensive consumer privacy law, [but] the takeaway is the same,” said Michael Macko, head of enforcement at the CPPA. “We will litigate and bring enforcement actions when businesses violate California’s privacy laws.”

The Delete Act, which took effect in 2024, requires data brokers to register annually and pay a fee that supports the California Data Broker Registry. That registry will soon underpin a major consumer privacy tool: the Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform (DROP), launching in 2026. DROP will allow Californians to request that all registered data brokers delete their personal information with a single action.

This enforcement action sends a clear message to data brokers nationwide: comply or face consequences.