Over the past couple of decades, the rise of social networks prompted users to leave their personal data susceptible to different kinds of misuse. While some find this kind of exposure beneficial for business purposes, others raise valid concerns about privacy and security. Sensitive data left exposed on the internet can lead to identity theft and all sorts of fraudulent activities. For the sake of keeping personal information secure, it’s crucial to take control of your data by removing private data from search engines, and the internet as a whole.
Identify What Information is Publicly Accessible
If you have been harboring concerns about your personal information being subject to some unwanted attention, first you need to check out what exactly is out there. Search your own name on popular search engines, and go through the list of publicly accessible information. You will be surprised how far back public records can go – old photos, financial information, and court appearances can be potentially harmful to your current lifestyle. Further, type in your phone number or email and see if any of this is widely open for everyone to see.
Remove or Edit Personal Information from Social Media Profiles
A lot of personal data is floating around the internet, leaving users feeling vulnerable and concerned. While some have taken matters into their own hands, struggling to delete their data from each social media platform, others have opted to use opt-out guides to scrub it. Although every platform provides options for deleting accounts or adjusting privacy settings, they don’t always completely remove your information from the internet. Regardless, these actions are still a step in the right direction toward erasing sensitive data.
Prevent and Monitor Future Exposure of Personal Information
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure cannot be truer than in this case. Carefully selecting your personal data that you’re willing to share with the world can spare you from a lot of stress and hardship. Avoid sharing sensitive details online unless absolutely necessary. Public forums and social media networks often ask for personal information, like full name and email, so consider using alias or pseudonyms for certain online activities. Unimportant matters like newsletters and surveys don’t really need to know your name and address.
Deleting the majority of your personal details from the internet will be an ongoing process. As the internet and search engines continually evolve, the information available is changing with them. Some forgotten digital goods may surface in time, so it’s important to always monitor potential privacy risks. Attempting to stay ahead of the search engines can be a challenging task that will take a lot of your time and effort. Many websites frequently update their databases, so make sure to keep up with possible new information that may appear. In case you spot something that you’re not comfortable sharing, contacting the website directly sometimes gives results.
Removing your personal data will be time-consuming, but it’s worthwhile if it can prevent the potential harm.
