The first time I Googled myself, I expected to find the usual—maybe a social media account, an article from high school or an old email. What I didn’t expect was a full dossier on my life and the roadmap to my front door.
My home address. My phone number. My email address, voter registration, my dad’s name, the address to my childhood home. Heck, even my half-sister (who I haven’t spoken to since 2008). Even family members were listed, linking me to people I haven’t seen in more than a decade and half (Mind you, some of these people I genuinely never want to talk to again, but I digress)
It was extremely unsettling and I felt exposed in the “it’s 2000 and I’m on the front tabloid” kind of exposed.
But it wasn’t just one website doing this—it was dozens. Spokeo, Whitepages, MyLife, Radaris, BeenVerified, Intelius, FastPeopleSearch… the list kept going. Shoot, even my voter registration was out there with my current address.
And the worst part? I don’t genuinely remember giving my stamp of approval and giving the green light to give my current address out to every shmuck from here to Guam.
From that point on, I made it my mission to erase myself from the internet (easier said than done, but I still made it my mission). It took time, frustration, and more CAPTCHA verifications that I ever wanted to encounter, but it felt so good erasing myself (I genuinely didn’t want just anyone appearing at my front door….unless you’re giving out those lifetime 5,000 a month prizes, then you’re always invited and I’ll make sure to have cake for you while I take my prize)
Okay, so now I want to give you some insight and save you some of the dumb headaches I encountered. .
If you’ve never searched for yourself online, pause for a second and do it now.
Google your name with “address.” (Sometimes, include old addresses too)
Google your name with “phone number.” (Add any old phone numbers you used, heck even old work numbers)
Google your name with “background check.” (This is where you realize your literally human gold)
Take a moment to click through the first 5-10 results. If you find personal details listed, you’re in the data broker system. Nothing like knowing your information is digital oil for someone else
I still remember the feeling of seeing my current address publicly listed. It was right under my political party affiliation. It made me wonder—who else had access to this and even more, could they show up at my front door.
If you don’t want to do this manually, you can scan multiple broker sites at once using tools like:
Optery (Free scan, paid removals)
DeleteMe (Paid service, works in the U.S.)
Incogni (Works in the U.S. & EU)
Even if you don’t pay for removal services, these tools will at least show you where your information is exposed.
Once you know where your data is being sold, it’s time to start pulling yourself out (and stopping the flow of digital gold, cause let’s be honest, someone somewhere is making money out there)
Each data broker has a different removal process—some let you opt out easily, others make it a frustrating maze. While unnerving, I found it useful to remind myself how important it was for me to remove the possibility of some shmuck coming up to my front door.
Below are the biggest offenders:
Whitepages
Spokeo
BeenVerified
Radaris
Intelius
For each site:
Enter your information and request removal
Confirm via email (if required)
I remember when MyVoterRegistration made me submit an opt-out request multiple times for the various locations I’ve lived in. Maybe they counted on me giving up? Either way, I was going to erase my personal information one way or another.
What If a Broker Refuses to Remove Your Data?
Some sites drag their feet or try to make you pay for removal. If that happens:
Use GDPR (if you’re in the EU) or CCPA (if you’re in California)
• Companies legally must delete your data upon request.
• If they refuse, report them to your local Data Protection Authority.
Send a Legal Demand Letter
• You can use tools like Mine or JunkEmailRemoval to send automated legal requests.
Use a Paid Service If You’re Overwhelmed
• If you don’t have time for manual opt-outs, services like DeleteMe and Incogni will do it for you.
Removing yourself from data brokers is only half the battle. If you don’t change how your data leaks in the first place, it will keep showing up again. And suddenly you’re feeling like you’re on that tabloid in the early 2000’s.
Here’s how to stay private going forward:
Stop using your real phone number for accounts (no, really. Go ahead and get a fake number or even use those free texting app services)
Use MySudo, JMP.chat, or Silent.link to generate a private number.
Use burner emails instead of your personal one. (I mean, I’d say go and give yourself a designated one on Protonmail or Tutanota.)
SimpleLogin, AnonAddy, or Firefox Relay let you create alias emails for sign-ups.
Don’t give your real info to “free” sites.
Many “free tools” (like job boards, quizzes, and online forms) are data brokers in disguise. And it’s frustrating, cause these websites always somehow need an email for everything they do.
I once signed up for a “free background check” on myself, only to later find my information for sale on a data broker site. They got me with the “free” and that’s when I realized, I will not be doing that again.
Data brokers don’t want you to opt out—their business model depends on keeping your data public.
But you can fight back.
Here’s your privacy to-do list for today:
Google yourself and find where your info is exposed.
Start removing yourself using the opt-out links above.
Set up privacy-first habits (burner emails, no phone number sign-ups, regular checks).
Need help? If you want to remove your data but don’t have time for all the manual requests, that’s what we do at BiyteLüm.
Your data, your rules. Let’s keep it that way
Need help with data removal? That’s what we do at BiyteLüm.
Erase Your Data Now