You cannot delete everything about you from the internet, but you can remove your information from the places where it shows up most often
Your personal information spreads across the internet through search engines, data broker websites, social media, and public records. You cannot erase all of it — public records like property deeds and court filings stay public by law — but you can remove your name, address, phone number, and email from the sites where strangers find them most easily. The fastest results come from contacting data brokers directly and adjusting your privacy settings on social media. Search engines like Google will remove outdated information if you ask, though they cannot remove information that is still posted on the original website.
Key Takeaways
- Data broker websites collect and sell your personal information; removing yourself from the largest ones takes a few hours of work but makes a real difference in what strangers can find.
- Google and Bing will remove outdated or sensitive information from search results if you submit a removal request, but only if the information is no longer on the original website or meets specific criteria.
- Social media privacy settings let you hide your profile from search engines and limit who can see your posts, which stops much of the casual sharing of your information.
- Public records like property deeds, court documents, and business filings cannot be removed, but you can request that data brokers stop republishing them.
- Opting out of data brokers is not permanent; you may need to repeat the process every year or two as your information gets added again.
Remove yourself from the largest data broker websites
Data brokers are companies that collect your personal information from public records, online purchases, and other sources, then sell it to marketers, landlords, and background check companies. The major ones include Spokeo, BeenVerified, Whitepages, PeopleFinder, and Intelius. Each site has its own removal process, and most require you to visit their opt-out page directly rather than calling or emailing.
Start with Spokeo. Go to spokeo.com/optout, enter your name and state, find your listing, and click the removal link. The site will ask you to verify your email address. Repeat this for BeenVerified (beenverified.com/optout), Whitepages (whitepages.com/name/removal), PeopleFinder (peoplefinder.com/opt-out), and Intelius (intelius.com/optout). Each removal takes five to ten minutes. Some sites make you verify that you are the person listed; others remove the information immediately. Most brokers will remove your information within a few days, though some take up to two weeks.
After you remove yourself, check back in six months to a year. Data brokers often re-add your information as they collect new data, so you may need to repeat the removal process periodically.
Request removal from Google Search and Bing
Google and Bing will remove information from their search results, but only under specific circumstances. They can remove outdated information — like an old address or phone number that is no longer correct — if it is no longer posted on the original website. They can also remove sensitive information like your home address, phone number, or email if you show that removing it outweighs the public interest in the information.
To request removal from Google, go to google.com/webmasters/tools/removals and sign in with your Google account. Click "New Request" and choose whether you want to remove a single URL or all URLs containing your information. Describe why the information should be removed — for example, "This is my old address and I no longer live there" or "This is my personal phone number posted without my consent." Google reviews requests within a few days and removes the information if it meets their criteria. Removal from Google Search typically lasts six months; after that, the information may reappear if it is still on the original website.
For Bing, go to bing.com/webmaster/tools/contentremoval and sign in or create a Microsoft account. Submit the URL you want removed and explain why. Bing processes requests similarly to Google, though their timeline varies.
Adjust your privacy settings on social media
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn let search engines index your profile by default, which means your name, photo, and public posts show up in Google results. Changing these settings stops most of that indexing and makes your profile visible only to people you approve.
On Facebook, go to Settings and Privacy, then Settings. Click "Privacy" and change "Who can see your posts?" to "Friends" or "Only Me." Then go to "How people find and contact you" and uncheck "Allow search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile." On Instagram, go to Settings, then Privacy, and toggle "Private Account" on. On Twitter, go to Settings and Privacy, then Privacy and Safety, and check "Protect your posts." On LinkedIn, go to Settings and Privacy, then Public Profile, and toggle off "Make my public profile visible."
These changes do not remove your information from search engines immediately, but they stop new indexing. Existing search results may take weeks to disappear as Google and Bing re-crawl the web.
Handle information posted by other people
If someone else posted your information — a photo with your location, your phone number in a comment, or your address in a public post — you have fewer options. You can ask the person to delete it, but they are not required to do so. If the information is on a social media platform, you can report it to the platform and ask them to remove it for privacy or safety reasons. Most platforms have reporting tools built into each post or comment.
If the information is on a website you do not control, you can contact the website owner and ask them to remove it. If they refuse and the information is sensitive — like your home address posted to harass you — you may be able to file a removal request with Google or Bing as described above. You can also contact a data broker and ask them to stop republishing the information, though they may re-add it later if the original source is still public.
Understand what you cannot remove
Public records like property deeds, court documents, business filings, and marriage licenses are maintained by government agencies and cannot be removed from the internet. These records are public by law, and while you can request that data brokers stop republishing them, you cannot force the government to take them down. Some states allow you to request that certain sensitive information — like a domestic violence victim's address — be sealed or redacted, but this requires a court order and varies by state.
If your information appears in a news article, you generally cannot have it removed. News organizations have the right to publish factual information, and search engines will not remove news results unless the information is outdated, inaccurate, or violates specific privacy laws. You can contact the news organization and ask them to correct inaccurate information, but removal is unlikely.
Use privacy tools to limit future data collection
While you work on removing existing information, you can slow down how much new information gets collected about you. Use a privacy-focused email address for online shopping and signups — something like a Gmail alias or a temporary email service — rather than your main email. This keeps your primary email out of marketing databases. When you shop online, uncheck boxes that say "Send me offers and updates" or "Share my information with partners." These boxes are usually checked by default.
On your phone, turn off location services for apps that do not need it. On iPhone, go to Settings, then Privacy, then Location Services. On Android, go to Settings, then Location, then App Permissions. Limit which apps can access your contacts, calendar, and photos. These steps do not remove information already out there, but they reduce how much new information gets added to data brokers' databases over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to remove my information from data brokers?
Most data brokers remove your information within a few days to two weeks after you submit a removal request. Some sites process removals faster if you verify your email address immediately. Check back after two weeks to confirm the information is gone, and keep the removal confirmation email in case you need to follow up.
Will removing my information from Google remove it from the internet?
No. Removing information from Google Search only removes it from Google's search results. The information stays on the original website. If you want it gone completely, you need to contact the website owner and ask them to delete it. Data brokers are the exception — when you remove yourself from their sites, the information is actually deleted from their databases.
Can I remove my information from public records?
No. Public records like property deeds, court filings, and business licenses are maintained by government agencies and cannot be removed. You can ask data brokers to stop republishing these records, but they may re-add them later. Some states allow you to seal or redact certain sensitive information through a court order, but this requires legal action and varies by state.
Do I need to pay a service to remove my information?
No. You can remove your information from data brokers and search engines for free by contacting them directly. Some companies offer paid removal services that do this work for you, but they do not have access to anything you cannot access yourself. Paying for removal is optional and depends on whether you want to spend time on it yourself.
Will my information stay removed?
Data brokers often re-add your information as they collect new data, so you may need to repeat the removal process every six months to a year. Search engine removals typically last about six months before the information may reappear if it is still on the original website. Public records and news articles are permanent and will not disappear on their own.