How to remove your address from the Internet

It’s 2024 and “doxxing” has become a daily occurrence. Our own personal data is out there on the Internet — collected by apps and services, bought out by data brokers, and re-sold to the highest bidder.

It’s kind of hard to not have your data be out there. Every time you register for an app, every time you make a new profile for that takeaway service — there’s a chance your details will eventually reach a broker.

You’d be surprised which services have your address, despite them not explicitly needing it. Also, random photos of you, name, age, marital status, even info on your relatives and past addresses can be hanging out, somewhere out there, in a random data broker’s database.

Thankfully, laws require these businesses to scrub your data if you request that. Unfortunately, each jurisdiction has slightly different rules on how those applications are filed and handled. And even then… where do you actually begin, right?

Use a tool that will do it for you, that’s where!

Meet DeleteMe

DeleteMe is a service, which has been in the business of data removal for 14 years. It uses a mix of expert staff and automated methods to track down which brokers have your data. Then, it files takedown requests on your behalf, and will follow up if brokers try to deny it.

You get a detailed dashboard, which will show where your data has been found, which sites have been contacted, what kind of information they had on you, and what has been deleted so far. The dashboard is updated within 7 days of the process’ start.

Full DeleteMe data broker list

DeleteMe is a perfect choice for businesses that want to up their security — with both employees and executives having their personal identifiable information out there, there’s a cybersecurity risk at hand, with social engineering attacks being a common threat. That’s why many businesses and governent agencies rely on DeleteMe to scrub any such data from the Internet.

Why subscribe for DeleteMe?

Unfortunately, deleting your data is not a one time thing. You will keep using the Internet, you will keep signing up for apps, services, social media. So, brokers will be finding your details again and again, over and over.

An annual subscription for DeleteMe ensures that the service will periodically look out for your data, filing new requests whenever it makes its way to public lists that it shouldn’t be in.

DeleteMe offers flexible plans — single plan for one person, a couples plan for two people with a slight discount, or a family plan for four. You can save even more if you choose to subscribe for two years from the get-go! Follow the link below for more info:

Learn more and subscribe for DeleteMe

Is DeleteMe worth it?

For companies and agencies, DeleteMe is an invaluable tool of making sure that employees and C-level staff don’t have all of their data easily discoverable, thus adding an extra layer of network security. Or, at the very least, plugging one hole where human error and a social engineering attack can result in a security breach.

Content creators, viral video makers, basically anyone that has some kind of following on the Internet, always need to be vigilant about the dangers of doxxing. Making sure that your personal data isn’t just flowing out there, in various data broker lists and public websites is a very obvious basic step that should be covered at all times.

For “regular” users — not Internet famous, or owners of a business? It’s definitely a good idea to go through the process at least once, and check with the dashboard so you actually get a better understanding of who, what, and where collects your data. From then on, it’s a personal choice that involves your understanding of privacy, risk, and your own moral compass.

What is a solid fact, however, is that even if your data was scrubbed by DeleteMe once, it will eventually creep its way back to the data brokers — with every new app, service, and website you sign on to, there’s a chance it gets there. Hence why a subscription, or at the very least — periodic uses of the service — may be a good idea. DeleteMe has been praised by specialists and users as effective, easy to use, and informative.