How do I remove all traces of myself online? (2023)

Can you remove all traces of yourself from the internet?

Short answer: It can't. You can never completely remove yourself from the internet, but there are ways to minimize your digital footprint, which would lower the chances of your personal data being out there.

Your digital footprint is permanent.

This means that for every one of your online actions—positive or negative, deliberate or unintentional—there is a permanent record.

How to remove your name from Internet search engines - YouTube

Types of digital footprints

They can be stored in various ways depending on the situation. A footprint may be stored in an online database as a "hit" in an online environment. The footprint may track the user's IP address, when it was created, where it came from, and the footprint later being analyzed.

Public records: Can they be removed? You can request to remove sensitive information like your phone number or Social Security number from public records in most states. Don't expect to have court records, marriage licenses or mugshots wiped from the internet, though.

How do I hide my address from public records?

Yes! We are happy to help users remove information on their own, and think it's important to give everyone the tools to protect their privacy, so we've posted free DIY instructions for removing yourself from the largest people search sites on the Internet.

The unfortunate truth is that there is no feature on Google that notifies you when somebody searches for you by name. Historically, websites like Ziggs have made claims of being able to show you exactly who has been googling you, but companies like these are quickly becoming a thing of the past.

Use Google Alerts. You might be asking yourself, "Who Googled me?" The first thing to do is to set up a Google alert. It might seem somewhat self-absorbed, but this is genuinely the first step in playing it safe. Just don't tell anyone you've got an alert for your own name on Google Alerts…

To submit a removal request for this kind of information ahead of the tool's launch, head to Google's search results removal form and select “Remove information you see in Google Search” under the “What do you want to do?” tab.

Digital footprints include private messages, emails, browsing history, interests and dislikes, your relationship status, and even the angle at which you hold your mobile device. Anything that is tracked and stored is a part of your digital footprint.

A digital footprint is a unique trail of data you leave behind while using the Internet. An example of a digital footprint could be your browsing history, search history, likes, text messages, tagged photos, and videos, basically anything that leaves a digital trace that could be linked back to you.

Passive digital footprints contain the information shared without the user knowing. This includes your browser search history, IP address, website cookies, and internet service provider information.

DeleteMe is a hands-free subscription service that removes you from data broker sites. Data brokers post your personal information online, making your name appear in Google search results.

Google cannot remove your personal data from the internet entirely, and the company recommends that you contact websites hosting your information directly to request its removal from those sites “if you're comfortable doing so.”

What shows up on a digital footprint?

A digital footprint – sometimes called a digital shadow or an electronic footprint – refers to the trail of data you leave when using the internet. It includes websites you visit, emails you send, and information you submit online.

Sharing sensitive information such as your address, phone number, family members' names, car information, passwords, work history, credit status, social security numbers, birth date, school names, passport information, driver's license numbers, insurance policy numbers, loan numbers, credit/ debit card numbers, PIN ...

Through your computer, mobile phone, and other digital devices, you leave behind hundreds of digital traces (also called data traces) every day: bits of information about you that are created, stored and collected. When this data is collected it forms a profile of you; think of this profile as your digital shadow.

Anyone can follow your digital footprint. That means not just your friend or classmate, but potential employers, school authorities, government and, if we go by thriller TV shows, hackers too. Often, the data is hidden in plain sight and easily accessible.

Your digital footprint – ie the information and data you've shared and stored on devices and online – can tell a story about who you are. More than that, there's a digital trail that we leave unthinkingly every time we log on. Your search engine history could reveal health concerns or unusual hobbies.

Deactivate/delete old email accounts. Search yourself online: There could be old accounts, profiles and other information out there that you forgot about. Delete search results: You can request for search engines to remove any information you find about yourself that you don't want out there.

Overview. DeleteMe has a consumer rating of 4.65 stars from 791 reviews indicating that most customers are generally satisfied with their purchases. Consumers satisfied with DeleteMe most frequently mention personal information, customer service and great job. DeleteMe ranks 1st among Privacy sites.

Yes! We are happy to help users remove information on their own, and think it's important to give everyone the tools to protect their privacy, so we've posted free DIY instructions for removing yourself from the largest people search sites on the Internet.

The difference between OneRep and DeleteMe in regards to removing your information from Google is that DeleteMe focuses on the most known people-search sites, so called major data brokers, while OneRep removes listings from the same major data brokers PLUS a long list of less known sites that spring up like mushrooms ...

How long does it take DeleteMe to work?

When you sign up for DeleteMe, you'll receive your first DeleteMe Privacy Report in about seven business days, indicating where we've found your information and what's being done to remove that information.

Delete yourself from people-finder and data collection sites

You can hire an online service like Delete Me or Privacy Duck to do that for you. Be aware, it's not cheap. Delete Me costs $129 per year, while Privacy Duck starts at $500 per year.

DeleteMe removes your personal information–like name, address, age, phone numbers, email address, and photos of your home–by removing it from the source. Removing personal information from data broker websites reduces your online footprint and keeps you and your family safe. DeleteMe.

Public records: Can they be removed? You can request to remove sensitive information like your phone number or Social Security number from public records in most states. Don't expect to have court records, marriage licenses or mugshots wiped from the internet, though.

I update it several times a year. If you're pressed for time, you might want to start with a few well-known data broker sites, including BeenVerified, FamilyTreeNow, FastPeopleSearch, Instant Checkmate, Intelius, MyLife, PeekYou, PeopleFinders, Pipl, Radaris, Spokeo, TruthFinder, USPhoneBook, and Whitepages.

Unregister from Truthfinder

Go to TruthFinder.com. Start by clicking on the opt-out link at the bottom of the homepage titled “Do Not Sell My Personal Information”. You'll be asked to enter your name, city and state — do this and hit the SEARCH button. Find your record and hit the button that says REMOVE THIS RECORD.

Is Fast People Search Illegal? Due to the nature of sites like FastPeopleSearch many wonder if it's legal to operate this way. The reality is, all data broker sites like this are operating well within the law.

Personal information generally gets on the internet as publicly available information when an individual engages in routine business transactions, such as buying something online. Other information may come from federal and state public records, as well as from your social media accounts.