Having digital footprints is inevitable for most online users in the modern world. Every time you browse the web, shop for something online, or access your social media accounts, you are leaving a footprint. While it may be a small piece of data, it can be collectively used to paint a portrait of your activities and behaviors online. Most companies (data brokers) track your behavior and analyze your preferences so that they can tailor advertisements or exploit them however they please. So, why should you delete your data online, and how can you do it? Read on to find out!
7 Steps for Taking Control of Your Online Presence
Now more than ever, internet users must worry about how much of their personal information is online. If you have too much personal information online, you are vulnerable to blackmail, surveillance, stalking, and identity theft, among other socially engineered scams. As mentioned above, you can protect yourself by removing some of this content or obscuring it. In the section below, we will discuss how to remove personal information from internet and significantly downsize your digital footprint.
1. Remove your Personal Information from Search Engine Results
In today’s digital age, where online presence is paramount, safeguarding one’s reputation is crucial. Removing personal information from search engine results is not merely a matter of privacy; it’s a strategic step towards preserving one’s professional and personal image. In a world where first impressions are often formed through online searches, outdated or irrelevant information can tarnish reputations, hinder career prospects, and strain relationships.
Taking control of what information surfaces about oneself ensures accuracy and relevance, presenting a polished and authentic image to the world. By proactively managing online footprints, individuals assert authority over their narrative, safeguarding against potential misinterpretations and protecting their reputation in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
Did you know that a simple search on Google can reveal more information for scammers to use against you? The simplest of details, including your phone number or a copy of your handwritten signature, can bring back search results that could compromise your privacy.
If you find your PII (Personal Identifiable Information) in the search results, contact the search engine and request a removal. For instance, if it’s on Google, you will need to fill out a removal request form and eliminate all the sensitive information. While it won’t remove the information from the websites on which the data is present, it will prevent such content from showing up on search engine results.
2. Remove Imagery Identifiers from Google Maps
According to a Google report, Google Maps has more than 1 billion active users every month. 41% of these are mobile users and use the app at least once every week. Further research shows that these maps contain street-view data for most locations in the US and the UK. These street-view images may contain personally identifiable information regarding elements such as your home and your car’s license plates.
To check whether your data can be found, search for your home address and find the image with your data on it. Click on it and proceed to ‘Report a Problem’. Google Maps will request that you fill out a form and select the parts of the images you would want blurred. You only need to state your reason for personal safety and privacy.
The process may take a little longer if the photo is user-submitted. In this case, Google Maps will get in touch with the photo’s owner to blur it. If they do not comply, Google may proceed to take down the entire picture.
3. Archive and Delete Old Content (Hide Social Media Posts)
If you have been on the internet for more than a month, chances are you have a digital footprint. This may include details you left while accessing blog posts, personal websites, or even old emails and social media profiles. Besides exposing your personal information, the content can also pose a risk and position you as a prime target for hackers. If they gain access to your old social media accounts or emails, they can scam your online friends and family.
The best way to approach these is by deleting and archiving the sites you do not use. For instance, if you have an old Facebook account, you can go through the posts and limit the viewership to a smaller crowd. If you do not need or use the old sites, you can delete them. If the information still appears on search results, get in touch with Google for removal.
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4. Regularly Check for Compromised Passwords
In an era defined by digital interconnectedness, the importance of regularly changing passwords and selecting robust ones cannot be overstated. Doing so is akin to fortifying the virtual gateways to our sensitive information, thwarting the relentless efforts of cyber adversaries. With hackers employing increasingly sophisticated techniques, the choice of a strong, unique password serves as the frontline defense against data breaches and identity theft.
Regularly refreshing passwords further heightens security, minimizing the window of vulnerability and ensuring resilience against emerging threats. By embracing these proactive measures, individuals safeguard their online identities, preserve their privacy, and fortify the digital barriers that safeguard their most valuable assets in an ever-evolving cyber landscape.
To enhance security, most websites and social media platforms require you to log in using your passwords and credentials. These are some of the most sensitive aspects of data that cybercriminals can use against you if they leak. While they are meant to be safe, billions of passwords are stolen or leaked online in the event of data breaches. In recent years, there have been reports on compromised companies, including Uber, Verizon, and Samsung.
To mitigate the risk, you regularly double-check your passwords and emails associated with them for any leakages. You can also use leaked password scanners that check as far as the Dark Web for your personal information. If you identify compromised passwords, consider changing them and using unique passwords. Don’t forget to store them in a secure password manager and activate 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication)
5. Opt Out of Public Data Broker Sites
In the 21st century, data is among the highest-value commodities. This is because broker sites can collect data about you and sell it to potential customers, including advertisers. Data brokerage firms such as Whitepages and People Finder need the information to create client profiles and sell to marketers or anyone in need of it
With the many data broker services across the globe, trying to remove your data from all of them can be a hectic and lengthy process. To mitigate this, you need to identify all the data brokers in your locality and opt-out. The other alternative is going to each data broker’s website and searching for your personal information. If you find any, follow the set opt-out/data removal and scrub your information.
6. Delete Unused Apps and Accounts
In the fast-paced realm of mobile technology, the importance of regularly deleting unused apps cannot be overlooked. Beyond simply reclaiming valuable storage space, this practice serves as a strategic safeguard against potential security risks and performance degradation. Unused apps left dormant on our devices can become unwitting conduits for cyber threats, exposing sensitive information to malicious actors and compromising our digital privacy.
Moreover, these neglected applications often consume precious system resources, contributing to sluggish performance and diminished battery life. By conscientiously pruning our app libraries, we not only streamline our mobile experience but also mitigate security vulnerabilities, ensuring that our devices remain optimized, resilient, and safeguarded against the ever-present challenges of the digital landscape.
When shopping online, most eCommerce sites require you to set up an account. This primarily includes your contact and payment details in a bid to make the whole checkout process convenient. While it serves the purpose, it exposes your private information to unauthorized third parties who may use it fraudulently.
Even after shopping, these sites still keep your information. The worst thing is that there is no automated way to log into every account and delete the data. You need to manually visit each site and delete the accounts. If you have installed the apps on your phone, you need to log in and delete the account. Deleting or uninstalling the app will not remove the information.
To avoid a repeat of such instances, consider using guest accounts to check out when buying from online shops. It may make the checkout process slightly longer, but it will be worthwhile in the end.
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7. Use Anti-Tracking Tools to Prevent Data Collection Online
Websites track your information. If you have ever visited a website and accepted ‘cookies,’ chances are that you will let the website take small pieces to remind you of your next visit. It makes the site more useful to you and makes your next visit easier. However, some websites may piece the information and share it for advertisement purposes.
The biggest issue is that you cannot always be sure about the websites that use their cookies in the right way or malicious ways. For this reason, your safest option is preventing all websites from tracking and collecting any data. Simply manually ‘refuse’ to share your data with the websites. Additionally, employ professional anti-tracking systems to protect yourself from hackers.
Finals Words on Preserving your Digital Legacy and Taking Control of your Online Presence
Even though there are no sure-fire ways to delete yourself from the internet within one click, there are a few things that you can do to mitigate the risks of having your information out there. In some cases, removing your data from different platforms allows you more control and protects you from data brokers as well as cybercriminals. By following the above steps, you can enhance your PII’s safety online and protect yourself from malicious sites.
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