Gallery: How to erase yourself from the internet (tools, tips and strategies)

[LASER_oneXM]

Destroying your digital existence—it's not easy
Fed up with social media? Sick and tired of hiding from identity thieves? It's not easy to eliminate your online presence, but it can be done if you're willing to put in the legwork.
Here are some tools, tips, and strategies for getting rid of your internet footprint.

 

[Deleted member 178]

Just don't use your real identity in the first place

 

[AlanOstaszewski]

The article and I are recommending Just Delete Me | A directory of direct links to delete your account from web services. . By clicking on the box you can learn more about removing an account and interesting info. You can also search for websites - pretty handy

 

[ForgottenSeer 58943]

Just don't use your real identity in the first place

This!

I use 100% fake identities on the internet except for personal, secured financial sites. Even then, those are pinned to an encrypted, anonymous email service. Most of my identities are created by one of the fake identity creators online such as; Get a whole new identity at the Fake Name Generator

Also, once a year I do a privacy audit on myself and the family and make adjustments as needed. Most sites remove my information when I fill out their privacy request form. Some sites require me to send them a letter, other sites require my attorney to send them a letter. Nevertheless I take a few hours a year to do this. I even had Google remove my entire street from street view by working with neighbors.

I have a link stored with almost all of the instructions for removal from most sites, a good many provide 1-click-removal of data. Also I called our county to opt-out of public data dumping on their websites, something most people don't realize you can do. I also do things like call Costco HQ and opt-out of 'partner sharing' of your shopping data. I don't join discount clubs, coupon clubs, store shopping cards, none of that nonsense.

I can't stop ALL bleed of data, but I can try to limit exposure/damage, which is the mode I work in.

 

[Deleted member 178]

to much an hassle now, to sanitize the web of our presence...

 

[ForgottenSeer 58943]

to much an hassle now, to sanitize the web of our presence...

Unless you've kept up with it, it's very nearly too late. This is why I take a once a year (or so) audit. It keeps me from getting too far behind where it would become futile. If you have kids, start early with them. I started my kids off day 1 with random fake identities so they have nothing searchable about their true identity showing up.

I just did an anonymous google search on my real information and found only 1 entry in Google out of 20-30 pages that had some limited real information about me.. That will be picked up on my next privacy sweep but the complete lack of any real information other than that one weak entry shows my yearly effort pays off.

Also, this has proved to be a good thing.. My wife had a creepy guy threaten to stalk her at work. I had done privacy sweeps for her prior to this so his results were miserable and he ended up stalking the wrong person with the same name in a different city. Long story short of course.

 

[Deleted member 178]

All come back to "don't use your real name"

 

[TairikuOkami]

If you do not use your real name, someone else might and you might have hard time trying to prove, it is not you.

Lawstuff Australia - Know Your Rights - - Topics - Cyber-Safety - Identity Theft (Fake Profiles & Hacking)