Why Your Personal Information Is Online
Data brokers collect information from public records, social media, loyalty programmes, voter registrations, and court records. They compile profiles and sell them to anyone willing to pay. Your home address, phone number, relatives, and estimated income are likely available for a few dollars on dozens of sites.
Step 1: Remove Yourself From Google
Google does not create this content but it indexes it. You can request removal of specific results:
- Go to Google Search, find the result you want removed, click the three dots next to it
- Select Report and choose Remove result
- For sensitive content (home address, bank details) use the dedicated removal form at myaccount.google.com/data-and-privacy
- Google may not remove results it considers newsworthy or public interest — focus on addresses and financial information first
Step 2: Opt Out of Data Brokers
This is the most time-consuming step but has the biggest impact. Key data brokers and their opt-out links:
| Site | Opt-out method | Time to remove |
|---|---|---|
| WhitePages | whitepages.com/suppression_requests | 24 hours |
| Spokeo | spokeo.com/optout | 24 hours |
| BeenVerified | beenverified.com/opt-out | 24 hours |
| Intelius | intelius.com/opt-out | 72 hours |
| PeopleFinder | peoplefinder.com/opt_out.php | 48 hours |
| PeopleSmart | peoplesmart.com/optout | 24 hours |
| Radaris | radaris.com/page/how-to-remove | 72 hours |
Step 3: Delete Old Social Media Accounts
- Download your data archive before deleting (most platforms offer this)
- Deactivate first and wait 30 days to confirm you do not need the account
- Use JustDeleteMe (justdeleteme.xyz) to find direct deletion links for 500+ services
- Search your email for "welcome to" to find forgotten signups
Step 4: Remove From Public Records
Voter registrations, property records, court records, and business registrations are often public. Contact your local council or county clerk to understand your options. In the UK you can suppress your address from the electoral roll.
Step 5: Protect Going Forward
- Use a PO Box or registered address instead of your home address
- Use unique email aliases (Apple Hide My Email, SimpleLogin) for each service
- Use a VPN to hide your IP — our recommended VPNs offer the most privacy
- Use Anonymiz to strip referrer headers when sharing links
- Check your browser fingerprint to see what you are exposing
Automate Removal with Services
If you do not have time to do this manually, services like DeleteMe ($129/year), Incogni (from $6.49/month), and Kanary will submit opt-out requests on your behalf and monitor for new listings.
