How to Remove Your Data From Data Brokers

Data brokers are companies that collect personal information from multiple sources and sell or provide access to it. Their sources include public records (voter registration, property records, court filings, DMV records in some states), purchase history from retailers and loyalty programs, app usage data sold by app developers, social media scraping of publicly visible profiles, and data purchased from other brokers.

The result is detailed profiles on hundreds of millions of people — often including current and historical addresses, phone numbers, relatives, associates, employment history, vehicle records, and estimated income. This data is sold to marketers, employers, landlords, debt collectors, and anyone else willing to pay for a subscription.

You never opted into these services. Your data appears because it was available from public records or was sold by other parties you did business with. In most jurisdictions, this is currently legal, though regulations are tightening. GDPR gives Europeans the right to deletion; California's CCPA gives similar rights to California residents. Other states are following with their own privacy laws.

There are hundreds of data broker sites, but focusing on the major ones first covers most of the practically dangerous exposure. Start with these:

• Spokeo — spokeo.com/optout — Requires searching for your profile and submitting through their web form
• Whitepages — whitepages.com/suppression-requests — Phone-based verification process
• Intelius — intelius.com/opt-out — Web form, no ID required
• BeenVerified — beenverified.com/opt-out — Web form with email verification
• PeopleFinder — peoplefinders.com/manage — Web form
• MyLife — mylife.com — Requires creating an account, then managing profile visibility
• Radaris — radaris.com/page/privacy — Web form
• FastPeopleSearch — fastpeoplesearch.com/removal — Quick web form
• TruthFinder — truthfinder.com/opt-out — Web form
• Spokeo, PeopleSmart, USSearch — Often owned by the same parent company; opt-out from one may not cover the others

After submitting each opt-out, document the date and confirmation received. Follow up if the listing hasn't been removed within the stated processing time (usually 2-7 business days).

For most data broker sites, the opt-out process follows a similar pattern:

1. Search for your listing — Enter your name and city on the broker site to find the specific profile to remove
2. Copy the profile URL — You'll need the exact URL of your listing to submit the opt-out
3. Find the opt-out page — Usually in the footer under "Privacy," "Do Not Sell My Info," or similar. Search "[site name] opt out" if you can't find it.
4. Submit the opt-out form — Enter the profile URL and your contact email for confirmation. Some sites require a phone number for verification.
5. Confirm via email — Most sites send a confirmation link to your email; click it to complete the removal
6. Check back in 2 weeks — Verify the listing has actually been removed

Important: use a secondary email address when submitting opt-outs. The email address you provide is itself data that some brokers collect. Using a throwaway or secondary address protects your primary inbox from potential misuse.

The frustrating reality of data broker opt-outs is that they don't last forever. Brokers refresh their databases from source records periodically, and your data can reappear after removal. This is especially common if you're on voter registration lists, own property, have court records, or have other public records that brokers ingest automatically.

To manage this ongoing churn:

• Set a quarterly reminder — Check the major broker sites every 3 months and resubmit opt-outs as needed
• Use an opt-out automation service — Services like DeleteMe, Kanary, and Privacy Bee automate the opt-out process and handle recurring removals. These cost $10-15/month but save significant time.
• Limit your public record footprint — Use a PO box instead of your home address for registrations, consider a registered agent for business records, and opt out of voter record sharing where your jurisdiction allows
• Monitor with alerts — Some removal services alert you when new listings appear, so you can act quickly

Data broker removal addresses one category of data exposure but doesn't solve everything:

• Breach data — Data already in breach records and distributed online can't be recalled. Remove from brokers separately from breach remediation.
• Search engine cache — Google may have cached pages from broker sites before removal. Request removal via Google's Remove Outdated Content tool after the broker listing is deleted.
• Social media exposure — Broker removal doesn't affect publicly visible social media profiles. Tighten privacy settings on platforms you use.
• Government public records — Court records, property records, and voter registration are public records that brokers pull from. You may not be able to remove these from the original source, but can remove broker aggregations of them.
• News and article mentions — If your name appears in online articles, broker removal doesn't affect those.

Use data broker removal as one component of a comprehensive privacy strategy, not as a complete solution.