Can Pro Bloggers Delete own Whole Identity from Internet

You may think your internet usage is completely private, but any time you access a website, sign up for an account, purchase a product, post a message, or browse search engine results, you’re sharing something about yourself. If you find this troubling, you may want to learn more about how you can delete your internet footprints. Data breaches. Identity theft. Bank fraud. Every week, we read a fearsome new headline about cybercrime. Reputable services fall victim to anonymous hackers. Ransomware holds random computer user’s files hostage. And what about those websites that track your every move, targeting you with personalized advertisements? Maybe you’ve considered the unthinkable: removing yourself from the Internet. Well, there’s bad news and good news. You can’t erase yourself completely from the digital universe. Courts and government agencies have been posting public records online since the mid-1990s. Your motor vehicle records, voter files, property tax assessments, professional licenses, and court files are all on the digital books, and they’re not going anywhere. 

7  Tips for Erasing Yourself From the Web

While many people have known for years that companies – especially social media platforms – have collected and sold their data, the recent Cambridge Analytica-Facebook revelation brought it to the attention of the general public.

This “scandal” is just one example of some of the privacy risks that come with using the internet. Almost every major social network has been hacked in some form or fashion over the past few years and we haven’t even scratched the surface.

As someone who has dozens of online accounts, it’s imperative that you start taking control of your online presence. Erasing personal information and covering up internet footprints is challenging, but there are some practical steps you can take.

1. Search Yourself

The first step is to search yourself on Google. Begin by searching just your name. If you have a generic name, you may need to search your name plus other qualifying factors (such as the city you live in).

Not only will these searches open your eyes to just how much information is out there, but this process will also help you get the lay of the land. In other words, it tells you how much work you have to do.

2. Delete Your Social Media Accounts

The most important step is to delete your social media accounts. Profiles on sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube often have lots of information on you. The key is to delete, rather than deactivate.

“Facebook notably provides options for both deactivation and deletion,” Security Baron explains. “Deactivation keeps your account ready for a quick return to the site. Deletion instigates the process of wiping your stored data and prevents Facebook from accessing your information, as long as you don’t login for the two-week quick reactivation period.”

Sites like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram have similar procedures, so make sure you read up on the process of actually deleting your data.

3. Contact Webmasters

If you run across information that’s been published about you online – such as in a news article or blog – you’ll need to contact the webmaster in charge of the website. In most cases, they’ll have to physically delete the content. You don’t have a whole lot of control.

4. Remove Yourself From Data Collection Sites

There are a multitude of companies on the internet that collect your information and sell it to advertisers and other interested parties. Some major ones include Spokeo, PeopleFinder, and Whitepages.com.

While it is possible to access each of these sites one by one and have your information removed, it’s a pretty cumbersome process. Every site has its own unique policy. Some require you to fax over physical paperwork, while others make you get on the phone.

“Anyway, an easier way to do it is to use a service like DeleteMe at Abine.com,” Eric Franklin writes for CNET. “For about $130 for a one-year membership, 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.”

5. Remove yourself from data broker sites :

You’ll probably find this creepy. Are you sitting down? Okay: Almost anyone can learn your phone number, home address, and criminal record in a matter of minutes. All they have to do is pay a little money to a “data broker,” also known as a “people-search site.” Often, the information is free. Primary data brokers like Intelius collect information from public records. Secondary data brokers, like Spokeo, aggregate information from primary brokers and usually add data collected from social networks and other online sources. Letting this information float around on the internet can be dangerous, especially if you attract internet "trolls." A troll might nab your name, phone number, address, or online accounts, and the resulting harassment could go on for years.

6. Shut down your email accounts :

This is a very big step. Most people will turn back at this point, deciding that Internet abstinence is not for them. Email is still the most popular method of communication in the world, and email addresses are used for all kinds digital transactions, including online banking. It’s not enough to just stop using email. If you leave an account open and fail to monitor it, your account could get hacked without you even realizing. At the same time, each email server is different, and closing your account varies from system to system. I’ll focus on the two biggest companies out there. Gmail is the most popular service out there, with more than 1 billion users. Before you close your account, make sure you’ve downloaded and saved all of your old data, because you never know when this archive of old correspondences might become important. Login and visit the "Account Preferences" page, then Delete Products >> Gmail. Follow the instructions, and finally hit "Delete Gmail.” Read more details and instructions. If you deleted your Gmail and later feel weird about it, you still have a chance to reactivate your account. According to Google, if you deleted your account "recently," you "might be able to recover your old emails." However, it does not state how long this option is available, so be sure before deleting this account. Yahoo is still a popular choice, despite widespread data breaches. Go to the "Terminating your Yahoo account" page. Read the information under "Before continuing, please consider the following information." Confirm your password. If you forgot your password, you can recover it with the Yahoo Sign-in Helper. Click Terminate this Account. But remember, if you do close your Yahoo account, you will not be able to use services associated with it, such as Flickr and Tumblr. So be sure this is what you want before closing it. 

7. Putting It All Together

The troubling thing about the Cambridge Analytica-Facebook fiasco, recent data breaches, and the rise in cyber attacks is the fact that you, as an individual, have very little control over your data, internet behaviors, and personal information once you release control. There’s also reason to believe that we’re currently only experiencing the tip of the iceberg. And having said that, now’s a good time to really drill down and focus on how you can protect yourself moving forward.

Giving up the Internet also means giving up online banking, online shopping, and online photo-sharing. Most of us are accustomed to web-based conveniences. It has become so intertwined in our three-dimensional lives that we can’t actually imagine living without it. So if you’re not ready to end your virtual activities, you can make your browsing a lot more private, thanks to a “virtual private network,” or VPN. You can use this secure network to encrypt your connection, making it difficult to hack. In the business world, VPNs let employees working remotely create an encrypted connection with the company network so they can work safely. But ordinary consumers can use VPNs too. It’s impossible to actually remove your entire history or presence from the internet, but you can definitely make some great strides in limiting the amount of information others can find and use – and it’s a worthwhile task.