You cannot remove everything, but you can remove most of what matters
Complete removal of your personal information from the internet is not possible — once something is published, copies exist on backup servers, in search engine caches, and on other people's devices. But you can remove the information you control, reduce what search engines show about you, and make the remaining information harder to find and use. The process takes weeks or months and requires working with multiple websites and services, but the effort shrinks your digital footprint significantly.
What you can remove: accounts you created, posts you made, photos you uploaded, and data stored by companies you did business with. What you cannot remove: information published by news outlets, court records, public databases, or other people's posts that mention you. What you can reduce: how easily that remaining information appears in search results.
Key Takeaways
- Start by removing accounts and data you control directly — email accounts, social media profiles, photos on cloud storage, and accounts at retailers and services you no longer use.
- Search for your name on Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo to see what information appears in results, then request removal of pages you own or control.
- Contact data brokers and people-search websites directly to request removal, though some charge fees and others may not comply.
- Ask Google and Bing to remove outdated or sensitive information even if you do not own the page, though they may decline.
- Removal takes time — expect weeks for search engines to process requests and months for data brokers to respond or remove listings.
Remove accounts and data you created and control
Start with the information you own outright: email accounts, social media profiles, cloud storage, and online accounts at stores and services. These are the fastest to remove because you have direct access and the company has a legal obligation to delete your data when you request it.
For each account, look for a "Delete Account" or "Close Account" option in settings — not just "Deactivate" or "Pause", which keeps your data on the company's servers. If you cannot find the option, search "[company name] delete account" or contact their support line. Major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Gmail, and Dropbox all have account deletion tools, though some require you to wait 30 days before the deletion becomes permanent. read your photos, messages, and documents first if you want to keep them.
Check for accounts you may have forgotten: old email addresses, abandoned social media profiles, forums you joined years ago, photo-sharing sites, and accounts at retailers where you made a single purchase. Use a password manager or your email's sent folder to find sites you signed up for. Each forgotten account is a place where your name, email, phone number, or address still sits.
Search for your name and see what appears in results
Open Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo and search your full name in quotes — for example, "John Smith". Search variations too: your name with your city, your name with your profession, your name with old addresses or phone numbers you no longer use. Take screenshots or write down what appears in the first few pages of results.
Look for pages you created or control: old blogs, personal websites, profiles on services you thought you deleted, photos you uploaded. These are your priority because you can request their removal directly. Also note pages you do not control but that contain outdated or sensitive information about you — old news articles, court records, mugshots, or posts from other people.
For pages you own, request removal from Google Search Console (for Google results) or Bing Webmaster Tools (for Bing results). Log in with the account that owns the website or domain, then use the removal tool to request that the page be delisted. Google usually processes removal requests within a few days, though the page itself still exists online — it just will not appear in search results.
Request removal from data brokers and people-search sites
Data brokers are companies that collect and sell personal information: your name, address, phone number, email, age, relatives' names, property records, and sometimes financial or criminal history. They buy this information from public records, retailers, and other data brokers, then sell it to marketers, employers, and anyone else willing to pay. Common data brokers include Spokeo, BeenVerified, PeopleFinder, Whitepages, and Intelius.
Search your name on these sites to see what information they have listed. Most offer an opt-out or removal request process, usually a form on their website or an email address to contact. Some require you to verify your identity by answering security questions or uploading a photo ID. Removal requests typically take two to four weeks, and some sites may ask you to repeat the process annually.
A few data brokers charge fees for removal — typically $10 to $30 per site. Others remove information for free but make the process deliberately difficult. If a site refuses to remove your information or does not respond, you can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov, though the FTC cannot force removal on your behalf. Some states, including California and Virginia, have laws requiring data brokers to remove information upon request at no cost, so check your state's attorney general website for specific rules.
Request removal of sensitive information from search engines
Google and Bing allow you to request removal of certain sensitive information even if you do not own the page — such as your home address, phone number, or financial account numbers appearing in search results. You can also request removal of non-consensual intimate images, doxxing pages, or pages that impersonate you.
Use Google's removal request form at google.com/webmasters/tools/removals or Bing's removal tool at webmaster.bing.com. Describe the page and explain why it should be removed. Google and Bing review these requests individually and may approve or deny them. Approval does not delete the page from the internet — it only removes it from search results. The page still exists if someone has the direct URL.
Removal requests for sensitive information usually take one to two weeks. Requests for non-consensual content or impersonation may take longer if the search engine needs to verify your identity. Even if a search engine denies your request, you can contact the website owner directly and ask them to remove the page, or contact a lawyer if the content violates your privacy or defames you.
Handle information you cannot remove directly
News articles, court records, government databases, and posts from other people are not yours to delete. You have limited options here, but a few paths exist.
For news articles: contact the publication's editor or webmaster and ask them to remove or update the article. Most news outlets will not delete old articles, but they may add a correction or update if information is inaccurate. If the article contains false information that harms your reputation, you may have grounds for a defamation claim — consult a lawyer.
For court records and government databases: these are public by law and cannot be removed. However, some states allow you to petition the court to seal records (make them private) under certain circumstances, such as if you were arrested but not convicted, or if the case was dismissed. Contact your state court's clerk office or a lawyer to learn whether sealing is an option.
For posts from other people: ask them directly to remove the post. If they refuse and the post violates the platform's terms of service (harassment, impersonation, non-consensual intimate images), report it to the platform. If the post defames you or violates your privacy rights, consult a lawyer about your options.
Reduce how easily your information can be found
Even after removal, some information will remain online. You can make it harder to find by reducing your digital footprint going forward: use privacy settings on social media, avoid posting your phone number or address publicly, use a separate email address for online shopping, and consider using a virtual phone number for signups.
You can also request that Google not show your personal contact information in search results. Use Google's removal request form and specify that you want your phone number, email, or address removed from the search index. Google will not remove this information from the actual websites — it will only stop showing it in search results.
Some people use privacy services like DeleteMe or Reputation.com, which handle data broker removal requests on your behalf for a monthly fee. These services automate the process of contacting data brokers and requesting removal, though they cannot force removal and cannot access information that data brokers do not publicly list. They are useful if you want to avoid the manual work, but they are not necessary — you can do the same work yourself for free.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to remove my information from the internet?
Search engine removal usually takes one to two weeks. Data broker removal takes two to four weeks per site, and you may need to contact dozens of brokers. Complete removal of all your information takes months. Some information, like news articles and court records, cannot be removed at all.
Can I remove my information from Google without removing it from the actual website?
Yes. Requesting removal from Google Search Console removes the page from Google's search results but does not delete the page itself. The page still exists online and can be found if someone has the direct URL or searches on a different search engine. To actually delete the page, you must contact the website owner or delete it yourself if you own the site.
What if a data broker refuses to remove my information?
File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Check your state's attorney general website — some states have laws requiring free removal. If the site is charging you for removal and you live in a state that prohibits this, you may have grounds to dispute the charge with your credit card company.
Will removing my information hurt my credit score or job prospects?
No. Removing your information from data brokers and search results does not affect your credit score, which is maintained by credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) separately. Employers typically use background check companies, not data brokers, so removal from Spokeo or BeenVerified will not change what a background check shows.
Should I pay for a removal service, or can I do it myself?
You can do it yourself for free. Removal services like DeleteMe automate the process of contacting data brokers, but they cannot remove information that data brokers refuse to remove, and they cannot access information that is not publicly listed. They are useful only if you want to avoid the manual work of sending removal requests yourself.