Most individuals value the privacy of others. However, data brokers do not. They scour databases and public records for information to sell. Consequently, personal details, such as your location and family members, are easily accessible on the internet.
While it is possible to request to have your information made private through opt-out forms on various sites, the proliferation of data brokers on the web makes this process tedious. Even if you remove your information from one website, it may still be available on numerous others. Additionally, you may reappear on the original site if new data about you is discovered by data brokers.
However, there are tools and services available that can help combat this issue. Whether you choose to make the opt-out requests yourself or outsource the work, there are resources to help manage this problem.
Note: The suggestions below are for US residents—the best practices for other countries will depend on your local laws governing data collection and aggregation.
If you prefer taking the do-it-yourself approach, Mozilla Monitor is a free tool that enables you to scan for your phone number, address, email address, and known data breaches across data brokers. Alternatively, subscribing to a paid antivirus suite like McAfee+ Premium allows you to run the basic version of a feature like Personal Data Cleanup, where you can tackle a list of known data broker sites and opt-out requests yourself.
For those who would rather pay for automated notifications of when their information appears on broker sites and assistance in removing it, services like OneRep and DeleteMe are available.
When it comes to data breaches and leaks, the stolen information typically ends up on the dark web, where it is bought by fraudsters and hackers. To address this, it is crucial to use services and utilities that monitor data leaks in conjunction with scanning for activities on data broker sites.
Privacy issues online are particularly prominent in the United States due to the lack of data regulation. However, changes may be on the horizon, as California residents will be able to make a single opt-out request for all data brokers starting in 2026 under the Delete Act. This development may pave the way for similar policies to be implemented across the nation.
