What must consumers be able to do before their information is shared under the FCRA?

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), consumers are granted specific rights concerning their personal information and how it is shared. The correct answer emphasizes the importance of an opt-out mechanism, which allows consumers to take control over their personal information before it is shared with third parties.

The FCRA mandates that consumers must have the ability to opt-out of having their information shared with affiliates for marketing purposes. This ensures that individuals have the right to limit the distribution of their information and exercise their preference about who can access their data. By allowing an opt-out choice, the law recognizes consumers' rights to privacy and helps protect them from unwanted solicitations and potential misuse of their personal information.

In contrast, options like opt-in or providing written consent are not requirements of the FCRA for the sharing of consumer information with affiliates, and agreeing to annual audits does not directly relate to consumers’ rights over their information under the FCRA. Therefore, the ability to opt-out is critical to consumer privacy protection in the context of information sharing as stipulated by the FCRA.