Introduction
There are hundreds of so-called “people-finding websites” out there, also known as people search sites, and other similar iterations. From Spokeo to Intelius, MyLife, Instant Checkmate, US Search, and even digitized Whitepages — there are a lot of ways to find personal contact information for a small fee. Anyone in the world, available to snoop on.
Some are subscription based, others charge a one-time price to unlock each record.
For self-proclaimed Internet sleuths and concerned citizens, this can be a great tool…but it’s also a concerning prospect, for many people.
How do you know if your information is out there, available for purchase? It sounds like something that should only happen on the Dark Web!
The Explosion of People-Finding Websites
The first website to aggregate public information into one central database for this purpose was aptly known as PeopleFinders, founded by Robert Miller in 1999.
These websites can provide details such as names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, social media profiles, criminal records, and more. They gather information from public records, social media, and other online databases. This can include data from government records, court documents, and other publicly accessible source.
Unfortunately, these websites can raise privacy issues, because they make it easy for anyone to access anyone else’s personal information. If you’re worried, you might regularly check these sites and request the removal of your data.
How Can I Keep My Information Private?
It’s definitely a challenge to keep your personal data off people-finding websites, but there are steps you can take to minimize your online footprint…and keep your private information off of public archives.
- Opt-Out Requests: Many people-finding websites, like Whitepages and Spokeo, have opt-out forms you can fill out to request the removal of your information. This process can be time-consuming, but it’s effective.
- Use Data Removal Services: There are services like DeleteMe, Incogni, and Kanary that can handle the opt-out process for you. These services typically charge a fee but can save you a lot of time and effort.
- Monitor and Repeat: Unfortunately, your information can reappear over time. Regularly monitor these sites and repeat the opt-out process as needed.
- Limit Public Information: Be mindful of the information you share online. Adjust privacy settings on social media and avoid posting personal details publicly. These websites can’t publish what doesn’t exist online!
- Legal Rights: Depending on where you live, you might have legal rights to request the removal of your data. For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) gives California residents the right to request the deletion of their personal information from certain businesses.
People-finding websites are popular for plenty of valid reasons, but if you prefer to keep your information more private, there are steps you can take to protect your confidentiality.
Conclusion
Do you use people-finding websites like these? Searching PII on Google can display over 300M results, and it’s estimated that billions of people search for others’ personal information. These services have exploded in the decades since 1999, and however you feel about them, they’re a prominent part of the internet. They even make appearances on popular TV shows, like Catfish.
If you want to remove your personal information from websites like these, it’s possible, but it does take work. These platforms index information from all kinds of public information. When you post confidentially about yourself, those platforms often sell data to third-party sites. It can easily domino effect into your PII on these people-finding websites.
Keep your private information to your close friends, and be careful what you post online. You can take your information off of these sites, but preemptive defense goes a long way toward your cybersecurity!