Online information about you could once be monitored. Social media and widespread internet usage have made accessing and removing this information easier. You’re not alone if you wonder if you can erase yourself from the web. NordVPN found that 55% of Americans wish they could delete themselves from the internet, and 42% fear being hacked.
You cannot guarantee that your private information will stay offline forever after removing it from the internet. You can minimize your digital footprint. Many steps can be taken to start wiping your personal information, according to NordVPN expert Daniel Markuson.
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Google Yourself
Find out what information is out there about you. When you share it online, you give up control over your data, so Google yourself to see what information is available.
The first step is to identify any sites you’ve used, such as forums or your own websites, that would host your data. Identify sites that may have cloned or logged your data by searching Google for your information.
Image Credit: Shutterstock/Aleksei Isachenko
Delete, Deactivate And Clear
Delete, anonymize, or deactivate your accounts once you have tracked down this information. Delete your social media profiles – especially on notorious bad actors like Facebook – and delete your accounts with online shops, dating services, Skype, Dropbox, and similar services. Don’t forget to remove data from apps and sites you no longer use. Search engines may take time to clear their caches, temporarily storing website data. There’s more.