How to Remove Your Information From the Web

If you've ever searched for someone on the web, what you usually end up finding is data gleaned from publicly accessible information. Websites that have this data, like phone numbers, addresses, land records, marriage records, death records, criminal history, etc., have collected and consolidated it from dozens of different places and put it in one convenient hub.

Websites that do this aren't working illegally. This is all public information, so they function as search engines for public data. We all scatter small bits of our personal information all over the place in real life and online, but since it's spread out and requires effort to access, this affords us a certain level of privacy.

Aggregating all this information into one place and making it so easily accessible can bring up serious privacy concerns and make people uncomfortable. A simple people search website is enough to make it easy for basically anyone to research your life.

Person removing information from the internet — Alison Czinkota / Lifewire

Below, we'll look at how you can opt out of several of the most popular background check and people search websites. You don't need to pay for your information to be removed.

Deleting your data from these websites doesn't make it inaccessible; just less easy to access. Someone who knows what they're doing will still be able to dig it up. Plus, if any of your information changes (e.g., last name or address), these sites might re-add your data since it's different from what you deleted. It's almost impossible to permanently remove all traces of your identity from anywhere on the web.

This article has directions that apply to Radaris, USA People Search, Whitepages, 411.com, PublicRecordsNOW, Private Eye, PeopleFinders, Intelius, ZabaSearch, AnyWho, PeekYou, BeenVerified, PeopleSmart, PeopleLooker, Spokeo, TruthFinder, FastPeopleSearch, FamilyTreeNow.com, and TruePeopleSearch.

Radaris

To delete your information from Radaris, find yourself in their public records and then verify that you are who you say you are.

Visit Radaris.
Search for yourself using the text boxes.
Select Full Profile on the result that pertains to you. You can use the filtering options to narrow down the results if there are several.
Select the small arrow next to the Background Check & Contact Info button, and choose Control Info.
Select Control Info.
Log in to finish removing your data. You can make a new account right now using the form on the page, or log in with Facebook or Google.
Verify that this profile is yours by entering your real name into the spaces provided. Also put in your phone number and press Send code.

If you've logged in to Radaris in the past to remove your information, then you won't see this page since your identity has already been verified. Skip down to Step 10.

Don't have a phone number that can receive a code? If you have a tablet or other device that supports apps (even an Android emulator will work), download a free internet phone app that gives out a real phone number. Have the code sent to that number so that you can complete this step.
When you receive the code, enter it on their website and select Submit.

If you're trying to delete information that someone else has already claimed as their own, you'll be given an error that the profile is controlled by the other person.
Select View Profile.
Choose Control Info again from the small menu.
Select Manage Info.
Next to your profile, select Delete specific records.

You can instead make your entire profile private by choosing the other link on that page.
Scroll through the list of records and put a check in the box next to anything you want to remove from Radaris.
Scroll to the very bottom and choose Remove selected record(s).

USA People Search

USA People Search lets you fill out a form to review what the website has on you so that you can choose to opt out of their database.

From the USA People Search Opt Out page, enter your email address and agree to the terms, and then select Begin Removal Process.
Search for yourself.
Select VIEW DETAILS next to your entry.
Choose Remove Record.
Open the email from USA People Search and select the link. It should be deleted within 72 hours.

Whitepages & 411.com

Whitepages doesn't let you edit the information they have on you, nor can you necessarily delete the information. However, they do provide a way to to hide your information from their website.

411.com uses the same information found on Whitepages, so deleting your personal data through the steps below is how you remove your information from 411.com, too.

Search for yourself from the Whitepages home page.
Select View Details next to your information.
From the navigation bar, copy the URL to your profile page.
Open the Whitepages Submit a Request form and paste the link into the Listing URL box. Also fill out the rest of the form by choosing I need to edit or remove a listing from the first drop-down menu and then answering the other questions as accurately as you can.
Select Submit at the bottom of the form.
Whitepages will contact you if they need anything else answered.

PublicRecordsNOW & Private Eye

Both of these websites use an identical opt out form. Here's how to use it:

Visit the contact page on PublicRecordsNOW or Private Eye, and choose CLICK HERE TO OPT OUT.
Enter your name and location and complete the reCAPTCHA.
Select Opt out.

According to these sites, submitting this removal request "can block your records from being shown in many, but not all, of our search results".

PeopleFinders

To delete your name and other information from this site, you have to first find your profile.

Visit PeopleFinders and search for your information.
Select View Details next to your entry.
Let the page fully load (it might take several minutes), and then once you're on the checkout page, copy the URL.
Open the PeopleFinders Opt Out page and paste the URL into the first box.
Complete the other questions on that page and then select Send Request.
Open the email they sent you and select the "remove" link to confirm the request to have them delete your information. It should take no longer than 48 hours to process.

Intelius & ZabaSearch & AnyWho

Intelius is one of the most widely-known pay-for-information people search websites, so it has lots of information on many people. In order to delete your data from their site, you have to fill out a form.

If there are details about you that you want removed from ZabaSearch or AnyWho, you can follow these same steps since those sites pull information from Intelius.

Use the Intelius Opt-out form to find your information.
Locate the entry that includes the information you want to remove, and choose Select & Continue.

There are several filters you can use on the results page to narrow down the list. They include middle initial, age, state, and city.
Enter your email address in both text fields on the next page, check the box in the reCAPTCHA area, and choose Continue.

Intelius will finish the request within 72 hours and email you upon completion.

PeekYou

PeekYou offers a very simple form to fill out to delete your information from their directory.

Search for yourself on PeekYou.
Select your name when you find the right entry. You can use the Search Tools button to filter the results if you need to.
Go the URL in your browser and copy the string of digits at the very end.
Visit the PeekYou OptOut form and fill out all the fields, entering into the Unique ID box the part of the URL you just copied.
Agree to the terms by checking those boxes, and then select Submit.
Open the email PeekYou sent you, and choose the long URL to confirm that you want your information removed from their site. You might need to check the Spam folder to find it.

BeenVerified & PeopleSmart & PeopleLooker

Deleting your data from BeenVerified can be accomplished by completing a form on their website, and then you have to follow through by selecting a link in your email. Your information is typically deleted 24 hours later.

The same directions apply if you want to delete your information from PeopleSmart or PeopleLooker.

Search your information in BeenVerified's Opt-Out people search.
Use the filters off to the side if you have to, and then select your entry when you find it in the list.
Enter your email address and check the verification box, and then choose Send Verification Email.
Select Verify Opt-Out in the email BeenVerified sent you.

Spokeo

Spokeo provides a super easy method for removing your personal information. All you need to do is submit the URL to your profile and confirm the removal request via email. It should take two to three days to process.

Visit Spokeo and find yourself through the search tool.
Select your name from the results list. If there are too many to look through, use the filters to search by location, age, and other details.
Copy the URL to your profile.
Paste the URL into the first text box on the Spokeo Opt Out page, and provide your email address in the second box.
Confirm the robot check and then choose REMOVE THIS LISTING.
Select the second link in the email Spokeo sent to confirm the removal of your personal information from their website.

TruthFinder

After a search for your record, you'll get an email where you'll confirm that you want your information deleted from TruthFinder.

Open the TruthFinder Information Optout page.
Answer the question of whether you've ever been a customer. You don't need to be one in order to remove your information; just press No if you've never had an account.
Log in if you answered yes, otherwise fill out the form.
Select REMOVE THIS RECORD next to yours. There's an advanced search function and a sorting tool if you need to narrow down the results.
Open the email TruthFinder sent to the address you provided earlier, and choose Confirm Email. It should be from OneTrust with the subject Your Privacy Access Request.

FastPeopleSearch

Like most of these people finders, FastPeopleSearch lets you remove your data by first having you find your record. Once you confirm the removal through an email, your information will be deleted within 72 hours.

Open the Removal Request Form from their site.
Type your email address and confirm the checkboxes, and then select BEGIN REMOVAL PROCESS.
Select your name when you find the entry that corresponds to you.
Choose REMOVE MY RECORD.
Select the removal link in the email they sent.

FamilyTreeNow.com

This family tree website lets you delete your public records from their site through an easy-to-use form. It could take up to 72 hours to complete the request.

Know, however, that according to their privacy policy, removing your public data might not delete everything they have on you.

...we may need to retain certain information for recordkeeping purposes and there may also be residual information that will remain within our databases and other records, which will not be removed or changed.

Is Family Tree Now Legal? How to Guard Your Privacy

Open the Opt Out of Records page.
Enter your email address, confirm the robot check, and then select Begin Opt Out Procedure.
Enter your information and press Search.
Select View Details next to your entry.
Select Opt Out This Record.

TruePeopleSearch

This site works just like the others, and removing your information is identical to finding it, but you have to go through their opt-out page first. It should take no longer than 72 hours for them to remove your data.

Open the TruePeopleSearch Removals page.
Type your email address and confirm the checkboxes, and then select Begin Removal.
Search for yourself and then select your name when you find it.
Scroll to the very bottom of the page and choose Remove This Record.
Open the link in the email they sent you to confirm the request.

How to Remove Your Personal Information From the Internet

Delete your public records from popular sites