5 Ways to Remove Your Information From the Internet

It is deeply unsettling to know that people can find out so much about you from a simple Google search of your name. Even people with common names can be found online if the person searching knows a couple of details, like the city where you live or where you went to school. 

It may not be possible to completely erase yourself from the internet, but you can definitely make an effort! Removing some or most of your personal information from databases, websites, and search engines can help you maintain your privacy. 

Let’s take a look at 5 strategies for removing your information from the internet so that you can protect yourself from the risks that come with existing in this internet age. 

What kind of information can people find about you online? 

You may be surprised to learn just how much people can find out about you by searching for you online. 

Some of the personal information that can be found about most people include: 

• Name
• Age
• Birthdate
• Home address
• Gender
• Past addresses
• Race

A little more digging can reveal much more, including: 

• Financial records
• Legal records
• Professional information, including professional licenses
• Religious beliefs
• Voter registration information
• Court records
• Property deeds

Some information is not quite as easy to access for the general public, but it may be accessible to employees or hackers who have access to platforms and websites where you have accounts. For example, the websites you visit are likely to record things like: 

• Which websites you visit
• Your IP address
• What products you buy
• The social media posts you like or share
• Your search history
• Payment history and credit card information

All it takes is one data breach for all of that information to be made public or fall into the wrong hands.

A public social media presence can cause problems, too, as a good internet sleuth can use your public posts to find out where you live, what your daily schedule looks like, where your kids go to school, and many more things that you wouldn’t want them to know. 

Why should you remove your personal info from the internet?  

Maybe looking at that list is enough to make you go, “Yep! I want to get my personal info off the internet!” 

But if you need more convincing, let’s take a look at some of the issues that can arise when people have access to your personal info. 

• Identity theft
• Phishing scams
• Data breaches
• Installing malware on your device
• Installing ransomware
• Cyberbullying 

Is it possible to scrub your information from the internet? 

Unfortunately, information or data that is on the internet is really hard to get rid of. 

In fact, it is widely accepted that you can’t possibly eliminate all traces of yourself from the web, even if you try. It is nearly impossible to be online in any capacity without creating a digital footprint, and once that information is out there, it’s a challenge to get it back. 

Fortunately, there are some ways to take control of what information exists about you online. 

1. Ask Google to delete your data 

As one of the world’s biggest companies, Google is also among the world’s largest repositories of digital information. 

Google provides several methods for removing information from their search results. They provide step-by-step instructions on how to remove specific information from search results and how to monitor for any changes to what information Google is providing about you. 

Important note: You may be able to request that Google delete specific pieces of data from being searchable through Google if it was posted to harm you. For example, you can request that Google remove content from their search results if it:

• Contains nudity and/or sexual material
• Contains your personal info
• Is found on a site with exploitative removal practices that prevent you from successful removal from the site
• Shows someone who is under the age of 18

2. Deactivate old accounts 

We often forget about websites we don’t use anymore, but those can be a perfect place for data breaches. You’re less likely to notice that an old account has been accessed by someone else, which leaves you vulnerable to someone logging in and gaining access to any information stored in that account. 

If you aren’t already doing so, make sure to use 2-Factor Authentication for all accounts. That way, even if you stop using an account, you will get a notification if someone is trying to log in. 

3. Manage your privacy settings

This step has more to do with preventing information from being posted online than getting it taken down. It’s always a good idea to manage your privacy settings on search engines, browsers, and other platforms. 

4. Opt out of people search sites

Data brokers collect internet users’ personal information and sell it to companies. They collect information from a variety of sites and sources, then create a profile for you. That profile is especially valuable to marketers. 

The data from these brokers is typically what makes the foundation of people search sites like these:

• Intelius
• TruthFinder
• Spokeo
• Instant Checkmate
• Been Verified
• Zabasearch.com
• PeopleLooker

Each of these sites provides users the option to opt out, but it can be challenging to find where to remove your information. 

That’s why you will find companies that you can pay to monitor these sites for your data and remove it automatically. Some of your options include: 

• Discover (free online privacy protection for Discover Card customers; Discover scans these sites every 90 days)
• Experian (monthly scans of these sites are included with a paid IdentityWorks membership through Experian)
• DeleteMe (scans for personal information every 3 months for a fee)
• Kanary (runs ongoing scans for 90 days, then maintains data removal through once a month scans)

5. Support better privacy laws in the US

One of the reasons Americans have to work so hard to manage and remove their data from the internet is because the US is known to have lax privacy laws. 

Although supporting changes to US privacy laws is not going to immediately protect your data, advocating for better laws has the potential to protect your privacy in the long run.

How much does the internet know about you? Check out our Personal Data Scan tool

We offer a Personal Data Scan tool that helps you to identify which data brokers are currently sharing information about you with the public. 

Specifically, it identifies which sites contain your current and past addresses, the names of your relatives, and phone numbers associated with you. 

The Personal Data Scan tool is a great starting point. Once you know which data brokers are sharing information about you, you can file an opt-out request for each one. 

Use the Personal Data Scan on our website to start controlling your data.