🌴113. Delete yourself from the internet
Last night I stumbled across an article in the Wall Street Journal called “Go Delete Yourself from the Internet. Seriously. Here’s How.” Naturally, I clicked. And wow. It introduced me to a tool from Google I’d never heard of before:
Here’s what I learned (and what happened when I used it):
- You plug in your details (yep, including your home address — bit ironic, I know)
- It scans the internet for mentions of your personal info
- A few hours later, you get a report
- Mine showed 31 results (mostly just my public email — nothing scary!)
- From there, you can review and request removals
Why should you care? Because your personal data can be used for:
- Identity theft
- Impersonation scams
- Doxxing
- Or just getting bombarded with junk
Even if you’re comfortable sharing online (like I am), it’s worth knowing what’s floating out there.
🛑 BONUS: I also share other services like DeleteMe and OptOut that offer paid removal if things get overwhelming.
This isn’t about hiding. It’s about knowing. And having a sense of control in a world where our data is constantly up for grabs.
Links mentioned:
- myactivity.google.com
- Nicole Nguyen’s WSJ article (may be behind a paywall)
Questions for reflection:
- When was the last time you Googled yourself with intention?
- Would you be comfortable if a stranger had your home address and birthday?
- How do you currently protect your digital identity — or are you winging it?
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