Can DeleteMe Really Remove Your Personal Info from the Internet?

With billions of Google searches conducted daily, many of which are for individuals' names, it's no surprise that people are looking for ways to protect their online privacy. DeleteMe, founded in 2010, claims to be one of the oldest companies in data removal, offering a service that contacts data brokers on behalf of its clients to remove their personal information from the internet. This includes current and past mailing addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. The goal is to reduce unwanted marketing calls and make it more difficult for strangers to find personal information online.

After using DeleteMe since January, it appears to have helped decrease the number of unsolicited marketing calls received, and it also cleaned up personal info from Google results. Similarly, Incogni, a competitor, produced similar results for an elderly family member. According to Jason Dalrymple, an executive at DeleteMe, services like his company and Incogni essentially do the same thing, as they are bound by the same laws and constraints. However, the degree to which data brokers must cooperate with deletion requests is murky, given the lack of comprehensive federal regulation in the US.

As a result, data brokers may request further verification, deny requests, or ignore them altogether, requiring follow-up correspondence. Both DeleteMe and Incogni provide dashboards to track progress, but they differ in their approach. DeleteMe's dashboard updates less frequently and shows fewer brokers being contacted, while Incogni's dashboard provides more frequent updates and rates brokers based on their speed and compliance. Dalrymple argues that DeleteMe's more targeted approach is a feature, not a bug, as it avoids exacerbating the problem by sending personal info to unnecessary companies.

While comparing the efficacy of each service is challenging, DeleteMe's longevity and bespoke approach to privacy make a compelling case. With no expectation of overnight results, signing up with a data-removal service like DeleteMe requires a long-term commitment. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, services like DeleteMe may become increasingly important for those looking to protect their online privacy.

Source: Wired gear