Personal information stored online can open up the possibility of cybercrime, which has become more prevalent in recent years. According to the 2022 Annual Data Breach Report by the Identity Theft Resource Center, the number of victims of this criminal activity has gone up nearly 41.5 per cent from 2021.
Data breaches, phishing attempts and information that you no longer use (but is still being stored) are all factors that can contribute to the risk of cybercrime, so taking matters into your own hands to remove personal information from the internet is a sensible course of action.
There are a number of ways to reduce your digital footprint, and having a better understanding of how personal information can be used online can help users improve their vigilance. That’s why Incogni is offering subscribers a way to manage the way their data is stored by companies, to ensure their continued protection from third parties.
For a full list of tips and tricks on how to remove your online information from the internet, erase your digital presence and preserve your online footprint, keep reading below for more information.
How does your personal information appear online?
Personal data can appear through both public and privately accessible channels. Public channels can include social media accounts, government records, as well as from user profiles on various websites.
Personal information can also be accessed through people search sites, as well as via data brokers that have gathered user data from a range of different sources.
What are data brokers?
Data brokers are online entities that specialise in collecting personal information from private and public sources with the goal of selling that information on to third parties.
They can be considered an annoyance at best, and potentially dangerous at worst, as data brokers are able to gather sensitive information and pass it along without your express permission.
How can you protect your personal information?
There are a number of ways you can protect your information on the internet. Always be conscious of the information that you share online and make sure that the recipient can be trusted with sensitive information.
You should always be cautious of malicious attempts to access your data, such as phishing and/or scam emails. Strong, unique passwords and two-factor authentication can also protect users from attempted logins from third parties.
Find out more tips on how to improve your cybersecurity from Incogni
How can you remove your personal information from the web?
While you can go to great lengths to protect your online information, removing it all together can also greatly reduce the risk of a data breach. Here are a few tips on how to remove personal info that might already be accessible.
Delete inactive online accounts
Remember the free trial you signed up for a few months ago and haven’t used since? There’s a chance that your personal information is still being stored by that company or service, even if you aren’t actively using it.
Remove information from Google search results
Since April 2022, Google has introduced features that allow online users to request personal information is removed from search results, providing that it meets a certain criteria.
Google will remove personal data from searches if it poses “significant risks of identity theft, financial fraud, or other specific harms”. Each removal request is handled by Google on a case-by-case basis, so there are no strict definitions on how that criteria is evaluated.
Visit Incogni to find out more on how to remove personal information from Google
Delete unused apps from your phone
Even while you are not actively using them, some apps could be running in the background and gathering personal data while doing so, such as recent purchases or even your phone’s location.
If you are not regularly using certain apps, removing them altogether could effectively limit the ways in which your data is being shared.
Opt out from data broker sites and people search sites
By opting out, data broker sites will be unable to collect your personal data and share it.
One easy way to do this is through a data removal subscription service, like Incogni.
Incogni will automatically send opt-out requests and continuously monitor data brokers’ activity on your behalf, following up with removal requests to ensure your data is protected.
Right now, Incogni is offering a 50 per cent discount on their services, so you can save on their monthly subscription service.
