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6 ways to delete yourself

from the internet
Finally ready to get off the grid? It's not quite as simple
as it should be, but here are a few easy-to-follow steps
that should point you in the right direction.

Eric Franklin May 7, 2019 2:36 p.m. PT 56

If you're reading this, it's highly likely your personal information is

available to the public. And by "public" I mean everyone everywhere. So,
how can deleting yourself from the internet prevent companies from
acquiring your info? Short answer: it can't. Unfortunately, you can never
remove yourself completely from the internet, but there are ways to
minimize your online footprint, which would lower the chances of your
data getting out there. Here are some ways to do just that.

Be warned, however: removing your information from the internet, as

I've laid it out below, may adversely affect your ability to communicate
with potential employers.

1. Delete or deactivate your shopping, social

network and web service accounts
Think about which social networks you have profiles on. Aside from the
big ones, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram, do you still
have public accounts on sites like Tumblr, Google+ or even MySpace?
What about your Reddit account? Which shopping sites have you
registered on? Common ones might include information stored on
Amazon, Gap.com, Macys.com and others.

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Using a service like DeleteMe can make removing yourself from the internet less
of a headache.
Screenshot by Eric Franklin/CNET

To get rid of these accounts, go to your account settings and just look
for an option to either deactivate, remove or close your account.
Depending on the account, you may find it under Security or Privacy, or
something similar.

If you're having trouble with a particular account, try searching online for
"How to delete," followed by the name of the account you wish to delete.
You should be able to find some instruction on how to delete that
particular account.

If for some reason you can't delete an account, change the info in the
account to something other than your actual info. Something fake or
completely random.

Watch this: Get off the grid 3:43

2. Remove yourself from data collection sites

There are companies out there that collect your information. They're
called data brokers, and they have names like Spokeo, Whitepages.com,
PeopleFinder, as well as plenty of others. They collect data from
everything you do online and then sell that data to interested parties,
mostly in order to more specifically advertise to you and sell you more
stuff.

Now you could search for yourself on these sites and then deal with
each site individually to get your name removed. Problem is, the
procedure for opting out from each site is different and sometimes
involves sending faxes and filling out actual physical paperwork.
Physical. Paperwork. What year is this, again?

Anyway, an easier way to do it is to use a service like DeleteMe

at joindeletme.com.  For just $129/year, the service will jump through all
those monotonous hoops for you. It'll even check back every few
months to make sure your name hasn't been re-added to these sites. 

Be warned:  If you remove yourself from these data broker sites, you'll
also mostly remove yourself from Google search results, therefore
making it much harder for people to find you. DeleteMe also gives you a
set of DIY guides on how to remove yourself from each individual data
broker if you'd like to do the process yourself.

SEE ALL DELETEME PLANS

3. Remove your info directly from websites

First, check with your phone company or cell provider to make sure you
aren't listed online and have them remove your name if you are.

If you want to remove an old forum post or an old embarrassing blog

you wrote back in the day, you'll have to contact the webmaster of those
sites individually. You can either look at the About us or Contacts section
of the site to find the right person to contact or go to www.whois.com
and search for the domain name you wish to contact. There you should
find information on who exactly to contact.

Unfortunately, private website operators are under no obligation to

remove your posts. So, when contacting these sites be polite and clearly
state why you want the post removed. Hopefully they'll actually follow
through and remove it.

If they don't, tip no. 4 is a less effective, but still viable option.

4. Remove personal info from websites

If someone's posted sensitive information of yours such as a Social
Security number or a bank account number and the webmaster of the
site where it was posted won't remove it, you can send a legal request
to Google to have it removed.

You may have to exercise Google's legal powers to get your Screenshot by Eric
personal information removed from a stubborn site. Franklin/CNET

The removal process could take some time, and there's no guarantee it'll
be successful, but it's also your best recourse if you find yourself in such
a vulnerable situation.

5. Remove outdated search results

Google's URL removal tool is handy for erasing evidence of past mistakes from
the internet.
Screenshot by Eric Franklin/CNET

Let's say there's a webpage with information about you on it you'd like to
get rid of. Like your former employer's staff page, months after you've
changed jobs. You reach out to get them to update the page. They do,
but when you Google your name, the page still shows up in your search
results -- even though your name isn't anywhere to be found when you
click the link. This means the old version of the page is cached on
Google's servers.

Here's where this tool comes in. Submit the URL to Google in hopes it'll
update its servers deleting the cached search result so you're no longer
associated with the page. There's no guarantee Google will remove the
cached info for reasons, but it's worth a try to exorcise as much of your
presence as possible from the internet.

6. And finally, the last step you'll want to take is to

remove your email accounts
Depending on the type of email account you have, the amount of steps
this will take will vary.

You'll have to sign into your account and then find the option to delete or
close the account. Some accounts will stay open for a certain amount of
time, so if you want to reactivate them you can.

An email address is necessary to complete the previous steps, so make

sure this one is your last.

One last thing...

Remember to be patient when going through this process, and don't
expect to complete it in one day. You may also have to accept that there
are some things you won't be able permanently delete from the internet.

Editors' note: This article was originally published in December 2014. It

is periodically updated.

CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of services featured on
this page.

READ MORE:

How to delete your Facebook account once and for all

Best ID monitoring services for 2018

 Security | Internet | Security | Google | How to
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Get a refurbished Google

Home smart speaker for $38
That's pretty great, assuming you don't already own
12. Plus: Stay home and stream Schitt's Creek for free.

Rick Broida March 23, 2020 9:25 a.m. PT 4

"Google, play a mindfulness meditation." 

Chris Monroe/CNET

As I noted last week, the world's priorities have shifted dramatically. I

don't know if I should be bringing you headphone deals or pointing you
to sources for toilet paper. (As it happens, I do have one, but delivery
could take weeks: Tomtop has a 10-roll pack for $19.99 shipped. I know,
ordering TP from China; it's madness. But, if you're concerned about
running out, at least this is in stock right now.)

Certainly I'm going to continue looking for sources of free entertainment

wherever possible (see below), because I think our money is better
spent supporting local restaurants and businesses.

For more Deals

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CNET.

Add your email FOLLOW

By signing up, you agree to the CBS Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.
You may unsubscribe at any time.

Read more: Instagram creates gift card site to help restaurants during
lockdown

Read more: Ordering delivery? Compare fees, delivery times from

different services with these apps

That said, for now I'm also going bring you great deals as I find them,
especially for products and services that can benefit you at home. Like
this one: For a limited time, and while supplies last, Electronics Express
via eBay has the refurbished Google Home smart speaker for $38 with
promo code PUSHPLAY. I don't recall ever seeing one priced that low; it
runs $99 new.

S E E I T A T E B AY

In fact, a new Google Home Mini would run you $39 (though it often
goes on sale for $10 to $15 less). So this is really your chance to get a
larger, better-sounding Google Assistant speaker for about the same as
you'd pay for its junior counterpart.

The Google Home, of course, responds to all manner of verbal

commands, everything from asking for a weather report to playing a
podcast or playlist.

Here's the CNET Google Home review if you want to learn more. There
is, of course, the newer, larger Google Home Max, but it's $299.

The seller doesn't list any warranty information (my guess would be 90
days, but that's only a guess), though the listing does say "manufacturer
refurbished" and "comes in original packaging" -- good signs that this
should arrive in pretty close to like-new condition.

Your thoughts?

Stay home and stream Schitt's Creek for free

Speaking of entertainment, I can't count the number of people who have
recommended the comedy Schitt's Creek to me -- and, let's face it, we
could all use some laughs right now.

The show was previously available only to paying Netflix subscribers,

but you can now stream the first five seasons of Schitt's Creek free on
IMDb TV. That service is available in your web browser and on any
device that can stream from Amazon. The show is also available via the
Roku Channel.

I haven't started it yet, but it's on the list. By the way, if you never
watched The Middle during its nine-season run, I can't recommend it
enough. Great family show; quirky, funny, definitely different than the
typical sitcom. It's also streaming free on IMDb TV right now.

Watch this: 5 underappreciated features of your

Google Home 6:59
 T H E C H E A P S K AT E N E W S L E T T E R

All the latest deals delivered to your inbox. It's

FREE!

CNET's Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on tech products and
much more. For the latest deals and updates, follow the Cheapskate on
Facebook and Twitter. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals
page and check out our CNET Coupons page for the latest promo codes
from Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon and more. Questions about the
Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page.

The Cheapskate | Smart Speakers & Displays | Target

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