Oh — yesterday I remembered that I had opted out of data-broker stuff several years ago, with two different services 🤣

There hasn't, anyway, been much data to begin with — also no ad ID from either Apple or Google. #compartmentalization #dataretention

#OptedOut #DataBrokers #PrivacyWins #TookAction 😂✅ #diday #didit #already xD #UnpluTrump #FCKBigTech

#Incogni #DeleteMe #Optery #Aura

Trying to protect my shit!

A few years ago, I bought a one-year subscription to Incogni, and about 18 months ago, I did the same with DeleteMe. Services like these want you to stay subscribed indefinitely. Their pitch is that data brokers are constantly scraping new sources, purchasing new datasets, and reshuffling what they store – so even if they remove your information today, there’s a good chance it will reappear tomorrow. I switched between providers because I assumed each one had different partnerships and coverage, and hopping between them might help knock my information off the widest range of lists.

When my DeleteMe subscription expired in August, it didn’t take long before my information started bubbling back up in searches. The data-broker ecosystem is a bit like whack-a-mole: you push down your profile in one place, and it pops up somewhere else. I figured I’d revisit Incogni for another round, until I realized there’s now a third option in this space.

That service is Optery. Out of curiosity, I signed up to see how well the previous two subscriptions did. Optery scanned the sources they monitor – 386 datasets in total – and found me in 132 of them. That was after a full year with each of the other two providers. It was a good reminder that no matter who you use, none of these services are a one-and-done solution.

To be clear, this isn’t an advertisement for any of these companies. In my experience, they’re all broadly similar in what they promise and how they operate. I’m also not arguing that everyone needs one of these subscriptions. But I do appreciate the peace of mind that comes with knowing you can’t just Google my name and immediately find my phone number. In a world where personal data spreads faster than ever, even partial control feels worth something.

#DeleteMe #Incogni #Optery

ZDNet: I put 2025’s leading data-removal services to the test, and there was a clear winner. “Incogni and DeleteMe are data removal services that can help you lock down your data, but they specialize in different areas. Read on to discover which service will suit you best.”

https://rbfirehose.com/2025/11/21/zdnet-i-put-2025s-leading-data-removal-services-to-the-test-and-there-was-a-clear-winner/

Gazee, Delete me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7VJfB6LV4Q

#Gazee #DeleteMe #Music #MusicVideo

DeleteMe, please stop the nonsense: data brokers are not doxxing people

Data brokers selling people's data is not doxxing, and claiming otherwise makes you look stupid and greedy.
#DeleteMe #doxxing #privacy #infosec
https://blog.kamens.us/2025/11/03/deleteme-please-stop-the-nonsense-data-brokers-are-not-doxxing-people/

DeleteMe, please stop the nonsense: data brokers are not doxxing people

DeleteMe, one of the companies which offers to help people remove their private data from data brokers (full disclosure: I am a DeleteMe customer, though after what I write about here I’m questioning that), publishes a monthly newsletter. The November issue misrepresents what doxxing is and falsely claims that data brokers are doxxing people all the time, all for the sake of fear-mongering and selling more DeleteMe subscriptions. This is gross, and it needs to be called out.

Here’s what the newsletter says:

Doxxing—the terrifying exposure of someone’s private personal details online—is a term most people associate with high-profile feuds: influencers, politicians, or those who argue with internet trolls. While those high-value targets are certainly vulnerable, the frightening truth is that doxxing can happen to anyone. In fact, it’s almost certainly happening to you right now.

But here’s the thing: You’re not being doxxed for any particular reason. Most likely no one’s out to “get you” or looking to exact revenge (two of the most common motives behind individual doxxing). You’re not being targeted by an individual. There’s an entire industry.

And their motive for doxxing you? Money. (Yes, we’re talking about data brokers.)

“In order for data brokers to make money, they must advertise our information for sale, and therefore they are doxing us,” DeleteMe’s CEO Rob Shavell observed in a recent interview with Cybernews. 

(Incidentally, in the actual newsletter, the link to the Cybernews article ends with “?utm_source=chatgpt.com”. Wow, that’s kind of embarrassing for DeleteMe. I edited the link above to remove the tracking information.)

So, let’s talk about why this is ridiculously wrong.

First, intent is a nearly essential element of doxxing [ref]. Pretty much nobody talks about “doxxing” when they’re just talking about somebody’s private information being exposed online without malicious intent. Saying that the entire data broker industry is “doxxing” people is wrong and ridiculous.

Second, an absolutely essential element of doxxing is public exposure to a large number of people. Most data brokers don’t let you see people’s private data without paying them. While it’s true that a few data brokers make some private data accessible for free if you go to their site and search for an individual, that’s still not doxxing.

And third, what the hell is going on with that quote from the CEO of DeleteMe? “In order for data brokers to make money, they must advertise our information for sale, and therefore they are doxing us”? What? That’s nonsense. It makes no sense.

The whole thing is nonsense.

It’s hiliarious that DeleteMe is criticizing the data brokers for being in it for the money, while accusing them of something they’re not doing in a marketing pitch to convince people to, you know, give DeleteMe money.

Don’t get me wrong, I have no love for data brokers, and I wish the entire industry would die in a fire or get legislated out of existence. But misusing terms to make what the data brokers do sound more ominous than it is helps no one. Words have meanings, and distorting those meanings to make a buck is shitty.

#DeleteMe #doxxing #privacy

🪐 DeleteMe (US-based Abine) claims to remove your data from brokers. Reality? Smoke & mirrors.

✅ Free DIY removal exists.
⚠️ Removals aren’t permanent.
💸 Yearly plans push fear & lock you in.
📊 Dashboards = illusion.
🔄 Stop paying = data may be shared again.
❌ Trust risk: US laws + weak privacy protections put your info at risk.

Privacy is in your hands, not their dashboard.

#DataSecurity #DigitalPrivacy #DeleteMe #Abine #CyberAwareness #PrivacyFirst

DeleteMe vs. Optery: Which Cleans Up Your Digital Footprint Better?

If you want to reclaim your privacy from data brokers, you’ll need expert help from a data removal service. DeleteMe is a long-standing leader in the field, while Optery is a rising competitor gaining momentum. I’ve reviewed both to help you decide which is the right fit for you.

https://www.pcmag.com/comparisons/deleteme-vs-optery-which-cleans-up-your-digital-footprint-better

#deleteme #vs #optery #pcmag

What #DeleteMe and #Incogni aren't telling you

(obviously try to watch this with uBlock or other tracking blockers)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX3JT6q3AxA

#privacy #adblock #databroker #PII #tracking #GDPR