How Can I Delete Myself From the Internet?

Are you wondering, “How do I delete myself from Google Search and other online sources?” This article will explain how to reduce your digital footprint and gain better control over Google search results related to your name.

In today’s world, data privacy has reached a critical status level. Data broker sites collect large amounts of public records and other personal information, pooling data found from your online activities, social media and third-party sources.

Data brokers then sell the information they collect to businesses, many times without you consenting to or even being aware of the sale. Furthermore, data brokers often have searchable sites where anyone can go to find detailed information about you and your loved ones.

In order to protect your online privacy, security and reputation, it’s integral that you request removal of this data from any sources that could cause harm.

In this article, we’ll go over how to identify data brokers, the deletion process and long-term ways to protect your online information.

We can help you create a positive online reputation, even if you’re starting from zero or rebounding from reputational damage. Call us at 941-259-4554 for more information.

Data Brokers and the Risk of Your Information Being Online

Data brokers are companies or people that collect, store and sell personal information about individuals. This data comes from many different sources, including:

• Criminal records
• Online accounts
• Online shopping history
• Public records
• Social media
• Your online activity

Your information is compiled into a profile that can be sold and/or searched for on the website. 

What Type of Information Is Available About Me Online?

The types of data that these companies find and collect include:

• Consumer Preferences: Brands you’re loyal to, hobbies, interests and shopping behavior
• Demographics: Age, education history, ethnicity, gender, income and marital status
• Employment Information: Employer, job titles, professional affiliations and work history
• Financial Data: Credit scores, investment information, loan history and spending habits
• Health Data: Fitness tracker data, medical conditions and prescriptions
• Location Data: Addresses you’ve visited, GPS tracking and frequent travel patterns
• Online Activity: App usage, browsing history, search queries and social media use
• Personally Identifiable Information: Full name, home address, phone number, email address and Social Security number
• Public Records: Court records, licenses, property ownership and voter registration
• Purchase History: Payment methods, products purchased and services used

InternetReputation.com provides the information and services you need to protect your digital presence. Get started with a free online reputation analysis by calling 941-259-4554 today.

How Is This Information Used?

There are a number of ways that this information can be used:

• Advertising: Detailed consumer profiles allow marketers to personalize ad campaigns and target you with the ads that you’ll be most interested in.
• Credit Scoring: Behavioral and financial data helps insurers and lenders evaluate your creditworthiness.
• Identity Verification: Companies that need to assess your identity to prevent fraud and increase security may use your personally identifiable information.
• Lead Generation: Businesses often want lists of customers who match certain behaviors or demographics.
• Market Research: Personal data is used by businesses to analyze consumer preferences and trends.
• People Search Sites: Your data may be sold to people search sites where others can go to locate or contact individuals.
• Resale to Brokers: Brokers often buy and sell data lists to expand their own databases.

While not all data that’s collected is used for nefarious purposes, it’s still smart to protect your online accounts and monitor what shows up about you in search results.

How To Find and Remove Your Information Online

To delete your information from search engines, you have to locate the information, follow the opt-out procedure for that website (if there is one) and check back to ensure the information and search results are gone.

Step 1: Find Out Where the Information Is Stored

There are a number of ways to find your information online:

• Look Into Your Online Accounts: Find any accounts you have open and go through the information you’ve provided to them. Can you update or remove any of the data? Can you completely delete old accounts you no longer use?
• Monitor Your Credit Reports: Credit reports contain a ton of financial data about you. Monitor them regularly to ensure nothing is incorrect.
• Pay Attention to Data Breaches: Stay on top of news and alerts about data breaches. If your information is involved in a breach, you may gain insight into where brokers can find your data online.
• Review Public Records: Government databases may have public records with property information and voter registration data. Make sure these databases have the least amount of information needed and that it’s all accurate.
• Search Major Broker Sites: Prominent data brokers like MyLife and Spokeo will be easy to find with an online search. Check different data broker sites for your information by performing a search for your name.
• Set Privacy Permissions on Apps: Many apps, including most social media platforms, have a variety of privacy permissions you can set. It’s always best to keep your information as private as possible.

Additionally, a basic Google search will bring up the results for your name that most people will find first. Begin with the first-page results on search engines, as these are going to be the most popular results with users. According to Backlinko, the top 3 Google search results get more than 54% of all clicks, and most users don’t go past the first SERP.

Step 2: Opt Out of Data Broker Sites

Just about every data broker and people search site will have a way to opt-out. Look for an “Opt Out” or “Remove My Data” link or something similar. Generally, you’ll have to find your information on the site, fill out the site’s removal request form, confirm your identity and request, and then wait a few days for the removal to be complete.

When searching for your information on people search sites — and on Google and other search engines — avoid clicking the same link over and over. This signals to search engines that the link is popular, which can make it even more prominent in search results.

Instead, keep a spreadsheet of all of the sites and pages where your data exists, including links that go directly to the information about you. That way, you can access the link without clicking on it from a search results page.

Our clients come to us when they need to build or repair their online reputation and take control of their digital presence. Call us at 941-259-4554 to learn more.

Step 3: Secure Your Social Media Accounts

• Use Strong Passwords: Always create complex, impossible-to-guess passwords and change them frequently.
• Enable 2FA: Set up two-factor authentication whenever possible. This requires an additional step to access your accounts.
• Limit Third-Party Access: Any third-party apps and services that can access your data should be removed if you no longer use them.
• Regularly Prune Your Content: Every month or quarter, go through your posts and remove any images, videos or comments that could cause a privacy issue or have the potential to damage your reputation.
• Monitor Account Activity: Set up alerts for login activity and notifications. This way, you’ll know immediately if something looks suspicious.

Step 4: Remove Search Results From Google

While it’s not always possible to have results removed from Google completely, you can usually use SEO tactics to suppress negative content so it doesn’t show up prominently on the SERP (search engine results page).

Google’s Removal Tool

Google has options for removing certain types of information from search results, including:

• Content related to minors
• Doxxing content
• Explicit or intimate personal images
• Non-consensual fake imagery
• Other types of sexual content
• Personally identifiable information

Go here to learn more.

Contacting Website Owners

Sometimes, Google won’t agree to remove your personal data from search results if it doesn’t violate its policies. And even if Google does remove the links you submit from search results, the content will still exist on the websites themselves.

Google isn’t in charge of other websites — it’s only in charge of its own search engine and the results you see when you look up a query.

Whether or not Google agrees to remove a link, it’s important to reach out to the website owners and ask that your information be completely removed from their sites, too. Whenever possible, provide a compelling reason or proof that will back up your request.

Suppressing Google Results

When you’re waiting for Google and website owners to remove contact or in the event that you can’t get anyone to agree to remove the content, suppression is the next best option.

With content suppression, you create positive and neutral content about your name or company and post it online. Use your website, social media, press releases and other types of online materials to get the word out there.

Over time, that fresh, positive content should rank highly in search results, pushing down the negative results. Once the bad content is far enough away from the top of the first SERP, it won’t be seen by most users.

Final Thoughts About Deleting Your Online Information

Data breaches, data brokers, third-party apps and other online activities and sources can post and spread your information online without you even realizing it. This information can then be used for everything from advertising and building your credit score to cybercrimes and even in-person harassment.

Removing your information online is an excellent step toward staying safe, but it can feel like a full-time job.

At InternetReputation.com, we provide online reputation management information to individuals and businesses who want to create, grow or repair their digital presence. Whether you’re prioritizing your personal or professional online reputation, our advice, services and team of experts can help.

We offer a range of ORM services, including content removal, online review management, and reputation repair following a crisis. Our five-step process includes analysis, web property development, content creation, publishing and promotion.

Do you need to speak with an expert about reputation monitoring, management or repair? Get in touch with us by calling 941-259-4554 today.