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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Most sensitive information found online is collected legally and aggregated by brokers.
- Removing this data is possible but requires navigating a fragmented system.
- Luckily, there are plenty of free tools online that can streamline the process.
If you search your name on Google right now, there’s a high chance you’ll find a lot more than you expected. Phone numbers, emails, past home addresses, and distant relatives can appear within seconds, often on websites you’ve probably never heard of.
What’s surprising is that much of this information doesn’t come from hacks or data breaches. Instead, they come from a range of legitimate sources, such as public records, app user analytics, and archived social media profiles. Data brokers will then collect and aggregate these stats to sell them to interested third parties for profit. As you can imagine, personal data is very valuable.
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Although the practice may be legal, its sheer scale and the accessibility of personal information make it controversial. The good news is that you can remove much of your data. Data removal services like DeleteMe or PrivacyBee will handle much of the legwork for you.
I recommend paying for one of these services, but if you prefer doing things yourself, there is a way to remove similar data without relying on them entirely.
In this guide, I’ll walk through the most effective free ways to start cleaning up your digital footprint, along with steps you can take to limit the amount of data collected. But before diving in, there are a few important things I’d like to cover first.
Why removing your data is harder than it should be
In theory, removing your data is pretty straightforward: contact data brokers and request that your information be deleted. In practice, it’s anything but simple.
Data brokers and people search sites operate independently. That means writing out separate opt-out forms, completing verification processes, and different follow-ups. Verification is meant to prevent fraud or abuse, so many brokers require you to prove your identity before processing a request. This can range from email confirmations to phone calls.
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On top of that, many of these websites are tricky to navigate. According to the Federal Trade Commission, as reported by the US Congress Joint Economic Committee, “opt-out tools are largely invisible and incomplete.” Users may have a hard time exercising these tools
There’s also the time aspect. From personal experience, it takes about 5 minutes to fill out an opt-out form. That’s fast, but now imagine filling out hundreds of opt-out forms for all the different brokers out there. Minutes turn to hours, which can turn to days.
Are there any data protection laws or tools?
At the federal level, the United States doesn’t have a universal law that protects citizens’ private information from certain for-profit businesses. Control is passed down to the states themselves, and as a result, protections are scattered.
California, for example, has one of the most robust laws. The California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA for short, gives residents the right to know what information is being collected about them, how it’s being used, and to request deletion of that data. Then there was the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020, which expanded on the CCPA by adding new protections such as the “right to limit the use and disclosure of sensitive personal information”.
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In addition to CCPA, California introduced the Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP), an online tool that lets residents submit a single deletion request to multiple registered data brokers at once. It aims to simplify what is otherwise a highly fragmented process.
Other states have introduced their own privacy laws, but they vary widely in strength. Colorado has the Colorado Privacy Act, another strong security law that also gives its residents the right to delete sensitive info from brokers. New York does have data protection laws, including the SHIELD Act. Companies that operate in the state are required to “maintain reasonable safeguards to protect… private information”. However, it doesn’t provide the same level of rights as the CCPA or CPRA.
Before getting into my strategy, I strongly suggest keeping tracking of your removal requests. With the amount of work you’ll have to do, it’s easy to lose track of what you’ve already done. Having a simple spreadsheet can go a long way.
Be sure to log the sites you’ve submitted requests to, the data they have on you, submission dates, confirmation emails, and case IDs, if provided.
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Second, think of my strategy as a starting point rather than a definitive guide. The data removal process can vary depending on your situation, so you may need to change your approach.
How to remove your data for free
The first step is identifying the people-search sites and data brokers that are collecting your information. This is easier said than done because there are so many. You can do all the legwork yourself by searching on Google or checking out the list below. It comprises online lists I’ve found that highlight many of these brokers.
- Data removal service Optery has an open-source directory of over 640 data brokers, complete with detailed profiles for each plus step-by-step instructions on how to opt out.
- The state of California has its own Data Broker Registry. You can narrow results to focus on specific data, such as precise geolocation, social security numbers, and gender identity.
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My favorite is the Data Broker Opt-Out List available on GitHub. It was created by Yael Grauer, a former program manager for cybersecurity research at Consumer Reports. The list provides a detailed directory of major brokers with direct links to their opt-out tools. It’s actively maintained, with the most recent update being three weeks ago at the time of writing.
On their brokerage sites, you’ll find an internal search engine that lets you look up your name to see whether any of your information appears in their database. If it shows up, contact the compact directly to request removal. As an example, I’ll walk through the process of removing your information from the data broker Spokeo.
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I found a detailed profile of me on Spokeo. Their removal process requires copying the URL of your profile into their opt-out tool and entering your email address to receive a confirmation link.
Click the link in the email once it arrives, and you’ll receive a message stating the request is being processed. Removal will take a few days. Some services take a different approach. Whitepages, for instance, will require identity verification via phone call.
If you don’t want to send out requests one by one, check out Permission Slip. It’s a mobile app developed by Consumer Reports that lets users view the data companies collect about them. Available on Android and iOS, it can be used to submit deletion requests and remove unwanted accounts and associated data.
What makes Permission Slip particularly interesting is that it doesn’t just go over data brokers. Instead, it covers a wide range of organizations across different industries that may collect user data. On the main dashboard, you’ll see ZipRecruiter, Taco Bell, CVS, and even The New York Times.
Tapping on an entry shows what they collect. Taco Bell, for instance, may aggregate order histories, social media interactions, phone numbers, in-store camera recordings, and more. At the bottom of each entry, the app provides links to that company’s opt-out and data deletion tools.
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There is also a paid version called Permission Slip Plus, priced at $9.99 per month. The free version allows you to submit deletion requests and track their status. The Plus tier expands this by automatically opting you out of over 100 data brokers, enabling bulk request submissions, and offering “Concierge Requests,” in which the Consumer Reports team handles your requests.
Once you’ve completed those steps, turn your attention to search engines. Google offers a tool called Results About You that allows you to request the removal of personal information from search results. Microsoft has Report a Concern. It lets you request the removal of exposed personal info from Bing.
Things you can do to protect your data from brokers
Data brokers are tenacious. Just because you’ve removed your data doesn’t mean that it will never appear again. There’s always that possibility. So, you will need to continuously monitor your online information after the removal to ensure it does not appear again.
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Also, let me give you some advice on other actions you can take:
- Be careful about what you share online. Avoid oversharing personal details on social media, and be cautious with interactive content like online quizzes. They are designed to collect data.
- Similarly, close old social media accounts that you no longer use. Inactive profiles may still contain personal info that brokers will find valuable.
- Consider using a VPN while browsing. This software hides your IP address and encrypts your activity.
- Use privacy-focused browsers Firefox, DuckDuckGo, or Brave (this is my favorite). They provide strong user privacy protection.
- You should also install Privacy Badger, a browser extension that blocks third-party trackers from monitoring your activity.
