7 Easy Steps on How to Remove Personal Information from the Web

7 Easy Steps on How to Remove Personal Information from the Web

In today’s digital age, personal information is both valuable and vulnerable. Due to technology advancements, tons of our personal information is public, which poses a risk of identity theft and fraud. With data breaches occurring frequently, it’s crucial to know how to remove personal information from the web. In this article, we will discuss seven easy steps to do so.

Step 1: Conduct a Personal Information Audit

The first step to remove personal information from the web is to conduct a personal information audit. The objective is to ascertain what information is publicly available and where it’s available. Websites like Whitepages, Spokeo, and Pipl offer services to help you conduct an audit of your personal information. Once you have a clear understanding of what information is out there, you can begin to remove it.

Step 2: Unsubscribe from Mailing Lists

Marketing emails constitute a considerable part of our daily digital communication. Unfortunately, these can be a source of personal information breaches. If you’d like to reduce the number of databases that store your information, you should unsubscribe from such emails. Most marketing emails feature an ‘unsubscribe’ button, which you can click to end correspondence.

Step 3: Opt-Out of Public Records

To reduce the number of online records with personal information, you need to opt-out of as many public records as possible. This refers to details like your birthdate, address, and phone number. Websites like the National Association of Counties and the National Center for Health Statistics offer opt-out services for such records.

Step 4: Remove Personal Information from Social Media Sites

Social media sites are a significant source of personal information breaches. Therefore, it’s crucial to review each platform’s privacy settings and keep the information set to a minimum. You may consider removing your home address, phone number, and birthdate. It’s also essential to think carefully about what personal information you share on social media sites.

Step 5: Remove Personal Information from Data Broker Websites

Data broker websites collect and sell personal information. These websites create profiles with your personal information, including your name, address, and phone number. Some data brokers allow you to remove your information from their databases. Popular ones include Spokeo, MyLife, and PeopleFinder.

Step 6: Request Search Engines to Remove Personal Information

Search engines like Google make it easy to search for public information. However, they may also link to inaccurate information that needs to be removed. Most search engines have a ‘removal request’ feature located in their privacy policies. By making a removal request, you’re requesting a specific link or page to be removed from the search engine’s results.

Step 7: Monitor Personal Information Regularly

Data breaches can occur anytime, and it’s essential to monitor personal information regularly. Once you’ve removed personal information from public records and data broker websites, make it a habit to monitor your name through search engines. This can help you spot any inaccuracies or breaches so that you can take corrective action promptly.

Conclusion

In summary, safeguarding personal information from online threats is crucial. By conducting personal information audits, opting-out of public records, removing personal information from social media sites and data broker websites, requesting search engines to remove personal information, and monitoring your information regularly, you can significantly reduce online privacy risks. It’s crucial to remain vigilant and take prompt action to mitigate any breach.