How to Remove Your Personal Info From the Internet (Do This Now to Make Sure of It!)

To remove your information from data-collection websites, search for yourself on each respective database (if you have a common name, add your middle initial, state, or zip code). Then, clear your profile by opting out from the site. 

The opt-out process varies from one site to the next. For example, Spokeo has an opt-out website, but MyLife requires that you send them an email. And WhitePages demands that you sign up for an online account before you can request deletion (pro tip: use a throwaway email). 

If you don’t know where to start, we have a complete list of data brokers with an opt-out guide for each one. 

It’ll likely take you a while to complete all the steps. Some sites might also ask for personal details in the opt-out form. Remember only to share details the site already has.

If all of the above seems like a lot of work (it is), you can pay a company like DeleteMe to do it for you. DeleteMe is a subscription-based service that will remove your personal information from more than 30 top broker sites starting at just $129 a year. 

They’ll also send privacy reports showing you the information they found and removed. The best thing about services like DeleteMe, however, is that they monitor data broker sites to ensure that your personal information is gone for good. Since data brokers rely on public records, it’s not unusual for your information to reappear after you opt-out of a site.

Sharing personal information to a service provider who needs it to perform their duty isn’t easy. Deleteme has impressed me with their professionalism and efficiency.