What are data deletion services?
Data is a very valuable resource, but assistance is available.
Every time you enter your personal information on a website or use a search engine, you leave behind a trail of information. These details can be collected by data aggregators and sold to third parties, such as marketing and advertising companies. You might be surprised (or horrified) to learn how much these companies know about you and your online habits. Fortunately, this is where data removal services come into play, helping you reclaim your personal information and take control of your privacy.
Data removal services are companies that specialize in finding and erasing personal information available on the web. They automate the process of sending removal requests, increasing your online anonymity and reducing your digital footprint. This saves a considerable amount of time, as there are hundreds of companies collecting data; manually contacting them could take days or weeks.
These services are especially important if you are concerned about protecting your online privacy or if you simply want to prevent distant relatives, ex-partners, or curious employers from probing into your internet activities. Some options on the market include Incogni, Aura, Kanary, and DeleteMe, although they all operate in a similar manner: you provide your personal data, such as your name, address, and email addresses. The service then scans databases of aggregators and sites to determine where your information is located and sends removal requests on your behalf.
As for data brokers, these companies focus exclusively on gathering personal information from the web to create detailed user profiles and resell them to third parties. This industry is highly lucrative, with an estimated value exceeding $400 billion. Some of the most notable data brokers are Experian, Equifax, and Acxiom. They collect information from various sources, including browsing habits, shopping history, and public records, such as birth or marriage certificates.
Digital footprints can reveal a lot about you, making it crucial to manage your sensitive data. Data brokers are interested in a variety of information, from addresses and birth dates to hobbies and shopping habits, which they then sell to marketing companies, other businesses, or even governments. However, there is a risk that this information could fall into the hands of malicious actors who may use it for fraud or online harassment.
Additionally, there are people search services that, like data brokers, seek to obtain information about individuals. These services extract information from various platforms, including social media, forums, and public records. Examples of these services are BeenVerified, PeopleLooker, and Truthfinder. Like brokers, they look for data such as names, email addresses, and, in some cases, more sensitive information like social security numbers.
It is important to consider the need for a data removal service, as it is likely that any internet user has a significant amount of information stored on these sites. Individuals like privacy purists, journalists, victims of harassment or abuse, and those working in sensitive industries may have a particular interest in controlling their personal information.
Ultimately, it is advisable to invest in a data removal service, as data brokerage companies will not stop trying to collect information about you.
