You cannot erase your name from the internet entirely, but you can remove it from the places where it shows up most often

The internet does not have a delete button that works everywhere at once. Your name exists in thousands of places — search engine indexes, data broker databases, social media archives, news sites, court records, business directories — and each one requires a separate request to remove it. Some will honor your request within weeks. Others will ignore it. Some cannot legally remove the information even if they want to.

What you can realistically do is remove your information from the sites where strangers find it most easily: Google search results, the major data brokers that sell your personal details, and the social media accounts you control. This takes time and repeated follow-ups, but it works. The sites that are hardest to remove — news archives, court records, property records — are also the ones fewer people actually search for.

Key Takeaways

  • Google and Bing let you request removal of specific pages from their search results, but the original page must still be deleted or made private first.
  • Data brokers like Spokeo, BeenVerified, and Whitepages sell your address, phone number, and relatives' names — removing yourself from these sites stops the most intrusive searches.
  • Removing your information from social media, email signup lists, and old accounts you no longer use prevents new information from being added to the internet.
  • News sites, court records, and property records rarely remove information, so focus your effort on the data brokers and search engines where removal actually works.

Remove yourself from the major data brokers first

Data brokers are companies that collect your address, phone number, relatives' names, and sometimes financial information, then sell it to anyone who pays. When someone searches your name and finds your address when ready, they found it on a data broker site. Removing yourself from these sites stops the most common way strangers locate you.

The largest data brokers are Spokeo, BeenVerified, Whitepages, TruthFinder, and Intelius. Each one has its own removal process, and you must do each one separately. Most require you to visit their "remove my information" page, enter your name and address, and then click a link in a confirmation email. Some ask you to upload a government ID to prove you are the person requesting removal. The process usually takes a few minutes per site, but removal can take two to four weeks.

After removal, these sites often re-add your information within months because they buy data from public records and other sources. You may need to remove yourself again every six months to a year. Some people use services like Incogni or DeleteMe that automate this process for a monthly fee, though you can do it yourself for free if you have the time.

Request removal from Google and Bing search results

Google and Bing do not host the pages that show up in their results — they index pages that live elsewhere on the internet. To remove your information from search results, you must first make sure the original page is deleted or made private. Then you can ask Google and Bing to stop showing it.

To remove a page from Google, go to Google Search Console (search.google.com/search-console), sign in with your Google account, and use the "Removal" tool to request that a specific URL be removed from search results. You can also use the "Remove outdated content" tool if the page no longer exists but still shows up in results. Google usually processes these requests within a few days to a week.

For Bing, visit the Bing Webmaster Tools (www.bing.com/webmasters) and use the "Remove URL" option. The process is similar to Google's. Neither search engine will remove a page that still exists and is publicly accessible — they will only stop showing it if the page itself is gone or if you own the site and tell them to stop.

Delete or make private your old social media accounts and online profiles

Every account you create — Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, old email addresses, forum profiles, dating app accounts — adds your name and information to the internet. The easiest way to prevent new information from being indexed is to delete the accounts you no longer use or make them private so search engines cannot see them.

To delete an account, go to the account settings, look for a "Delete Account" or "Deactivate Account" option, and follow the steps. Most social media sites require you to wait 30 days before the account is permanently deleted, in case you change your mind. During that waiting period, the account is hidden but not yet gone. After 30 days, it is deleted and search engines will eventually stop showing it in results.

For accounts you want to keep, make them private so only people you approve can see your information. On Facebook, go to Settings > Privacy and set "Who can see your posts?" to "Friends only" or "Only me". On Instagram, go to Settings > Privacy and turn on "Private Account". On LinkedIn, go to Settings > Visibility and limit who can see your profile. Private accounts still exist on the internet, but search engines cannot index them, so strangers cannot find them through Google.

Remove yourself from people search websites and background check sites

Beyond the major data brokers, dozens of smaller sites collect and sell your information: when ready Checkmate, PeopleFinders, MyLife, Radaris, and many others. These sites are harder to find and remove yourself from, but they are also less commonly used than Spokeo or Whitepages.

To find which sites have your information, search your full name in Google and look for results from people search sites. Visit each one and look for a "Remove my information" or "Privacy" link, usually at the bottom of the page. Some sites make this straightforward; others bury it or require you to call a phone number. Keep a list of which sites you have requested removal from, because you may need to follow up if they do not honor your request within a month.

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. The FTC cannot force the site to remove your information, but complaints help them identify sites that are breaking the law.

Opt out of data collection at the source

Removing your information stops what is already out there, but new information keeps being added. To slow that down, you can opt out of data collection at the places that feed information to data brokers.

The National Do Not Call Registry (donotcall.gov) stops telemarketing calls and reduces the number of times your phone number is sold. The Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Service (dmachoice.thedma.org) reduces unwanted mail and catalog subscriptions. Neither one stops data brokers from selling your information, but both reduce the amount of new data being collected about you.

You can also request that the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — not sell your information to third parties. Visit each bureau's website and look for an "opt out" option. This does not remove your information from their databases, but it stops them from selling it to data brokers and marketers.

Understand what you cannot remove

News articles, court records, property records, and government databases are difficult or impossible to remove yourself from, and you should not expect them to disappear. News sites have a legal right to keep their archives, and court records are public by law. If your name appears in a news article or court record, you can contact the news organization or the court and ask them to remove it, but they are not required to do so.

If you are concerned about a specific news article or court record, you can request that Google remove it from search results using the tools described above, even if the original page still exists. Google has a policy that allows removal of certain sensitive information — such as your home address or phone number — even if the page itself is not deleted. You can also request removal if the information is outdated or no longer relevant.

Property records are public information maintained by your county assessor or tax assessor's office. You cannot remove this information, but you can sometimes request that your address not be displayed online. Contact your local assessor's office to ask about privacy options.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for my information to disappear from Google after I delete it?

Google usually stops showing a deleted page within a few days to a week after you request removal through Search Console. However, if the page still exists somewhere else on the internet, Google may re-index it. Once a page is truly gone and no longer linked from anywhere, Google typically removes it from search results within a few weeks.

Will data brokers stop selling my information if I remove myself?

Removal stops them from showing your information on their website, but they may still have your data in their database and may sell it to other companies. The removal only affects what they display publicly. To truly stop data collection, you would need to prevent your information from being collected in the first place, which is nearly impossible.

Can I remove my information from news articles or court records?

You can ask, but news organizations and courts are not required to remove public information. You can request that Google stop showing the article in search results, and Google may honor that request if the information is sensitive or outdated. The original article will still exist, but fewer people will find it through search.

What should I do if a data broker ignores my removal request?

Send a follow-up request after two weeks. If they still do not respond after a month, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. You can also check whether your state has a privacy law that gives you stronger rights — California, Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, and Utah have laws that require data brokers to honor removal requests.

Is it worth paying for a removal service instead of doing it myself?

Services like Incogni and DeleteMe automate the removal process and handle follow-ups, which saves time. They cost $100 to $200 per year. If you have only a few data brokers to remove yourself from, doing it yourself is free and takes a few hours. If you want ongoing removal and do not want to repeat the process every six months, a paid service may be worth it.