Anonymity in the Digital Age: Erasing Your Online Presence
If you’ve ever voted, had a job, rented an apartment, or had a phone number, chances are there’s record of it online. While completely deleting yourself from the internet may be a longshot, there are steps you can take remove a great deal of your virtual presence. Here are a few tips to start 2021 with a clean(ish) slate.
Start with social media
Social media is the biggest culprit when it comes to turning your personal life into public info. Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Reddit, Tik Tok, you know the big ones. They’ve got to go. Done? Cool. Now it’s time to pull up MySpace, Foursquare, About Me, all the ones you forgot about.
Cut ties with information brokers
Information brokers are simply sites which sell your data. Think Whitepages, PeekYou, Intelius, Acxiom, and Datalogix. Such sites aggregate data from sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, voter registration records, and social media, among many others. Start by Googling yourself and remove yourself from each site— there should be an option to opt out. Check out this Free DIY Opt-Out Guide from DeleteMe.
Delete your shopping accounts
No doubt e-commerce has transformed the shopping experience for the better, but it has also made your personal data easier to access than ever before. Shopping sites have access to your browsing habits, contact information, address, and payment information. Though secure protocols are often used on e-commerce sites, there’s always the risk of a data breech, as in the case of Macys.com. If you’re looking to clear the internet of unnecessary data attached to your identity, make sure you delete your accounts on any and all online retailers with whom you have done business.
Clean up your mailbox
Chances are, you have signed up for a few newsletters in the name of a discount code here and there. Though its cant be argued that these promotions come in handy, there are a few tradeoffs, one of which is your data. Sift through your email and instead of just unsubscribing, skim the terms of service, and make sure you delete your actual accounts rather than just cancelling your subscription.
Keep up the good work
After following these steps, make sure to check in every once in a while. It’s easier maintain a tidy space than it is to overhaul a big mess. Google yourself every month or two and make sure your personal life isn’t on blast for all to see.
