We are committed to sharing the information you need to make an informed decision when choosing a personal data removal service.
Individuals and organizations come to DeleteMe because we make it dead simple to take control of how their personal information is used and abused by others. We consistently receive positive customer feedback for both the service itself and the high level of support.
Our customers stay with us because we continuously monitor and deliver on removals; saving them from vulnerabilities ranging from online and offline harassment and robocalls to being susceptible to the risk of sophisticated social engineering attacks.
So, how many sites does DeleteMe remove PII from?
The honest answer is that it depends. We look at the level of data removal you need and set plans that remove you from the data brokers who make it easy to find you. We go deeper from there depending on your privacy needs and risk profile. The number of sites fluctuates and reflects the constant changes in the industry. We are constantly evaluating how to protect your privacy based on the data broker landscape that we understand better than anyone else.
Here’s why more does not mean better when it comes to sites we remove from lists:
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Some data brokers spend a huge amount of money on SEO which nearly guarantees the profiles appear on the first page of search results. If a list of “sites we remove from” focuses on the top sites that spend big on SEO, they are more likely to be effective in reducing PII risks. Some examples of data brokers that spend a ton on SEO are Whitepages, BeenVerified, Mylife and Nuwber.
- State-specific sites: We have seen cases where 100 data brokers appear on a “sites we remove from” list. However, 49 of those sites are US state-specific. So, unless you’ve lived in every US state, it’s likely you won’t have a profile on most of those sites.
- Related sites: Many data brokers use “shadow” or affiliate brand sites to re-market what is essentially the same service. When you request removal from one of those sites they will most likely honor your removal from their related sites. If a list of 100 “sites we remove from” relies heavily on these related sites, they might only actually cover a small percentage of data brokers directly.
- Sites with the deepest databases: Some data brokers have much more PII than others. This means that they can afford to expose more of that information for free online before selling the more detailed profiles. If a list of “sites we remove from” focuses on the sites with the deepest databases, they are more likely to be effective in reducing PII risks.
- Sites with different opt-out processes: Some data brokers make it harder to opt out than others. Sometimes they change their opt-out request processes. A “sites we remove from” list with a focus on the 100 easiest data brokers vs. a list that removes from the 50 most difficult may provide a better value and reduced risk.
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