In a digital-first society where the internet is inextricably intertwined with daily life, there’s inevitably a massive amount of personal data – also known as personal personally identifiable information (PII) - available online. However, this can put individual users at risk for a range of cybercrimes, which is why users must try to secure their PII. Since many users may wonder what the different PII examples are and exactly how to remove their sensitive information online, here’s a guide to keeping your details safe while online.
Definition of PII
Personally identifiable information, or PII, is personal data that can be used to identify specific individuals. The data may be particular to one individual, such as a social security number, or they can be “quasi-identifiers,” different bits of general data, like race and date of birth, which can be combined to identify an individual.
Many websites, apps, and online services store thousands of data points for each user. While some of this is required to use these services – things like names, credit card numbers, and email addresses – it’s best to minimize how much data is provided. This is especially important because your digital footprint includes all the data you leave behind, which can reveal sensitive personally identifiable information. Since all online services are vulnerable to hacking or data breaches, user data can fall into the hands of cybercriminals and be misused for crimes.
Failure to secure PII can leave users at risk of:
- Targeted ads or opinion manipulation while browsing the internet
- Financial profiling by lenders
- Identity theft
- Financial fraud
- Social engineering and phishing scams
- Stalking or harassment
- Reputation damage
- Surveillance by government agencies
Examples of PII
The types of PII can generally be broken down into two categories: direct and sensitive or indirect and nonsensitive. Here are some examples of PII in each:
Direct, sensitive data:
- Users’ full names
- Credit card details
- Social security numbers
- Driver’s license numbers
- Passport details
- Bank account information
- Health and medical records
- Phone numbers
- Email addresses
- Employment details
- Biographical information – such as parents, siblings, partners, and children
- Photos and videos
- IP addresses
This type of data can be directly linked to an individual and used to impersonate them. As such, it’s best to avoid sharing these online as far as possible, though in some cases it’s not feasible. Most reputable sites, apps, and services will use anonymization technology to shield user data, though this isn’t always foolproof.
Indirect, nonsensitive data:
- ZIP codes
- Race
- Religions
- Gender
- Dates of birth
- Places of birth
This type of general data generally can’t be used to identify a specific individual. However, if various data points are available together, it becomes much easier to identify users. For example, it’s unlikely anyone would be able to pinpoint a user just by their gender, zip code, or date of birth. However, with access to all three, the task becomes much easier.
How Do I Remove My Personal Information from the Internet?
Even when employing the strictest safeguards, most people will inevitably end up with some of their PII online. In some cases, it may be necessary, but in others, users may start wondering how they can remove their address, name or even photos from the internet. Below are nine methods for how to clear your digital footprint.
1. Use credit card services
One good method to secure PII is enabling the free monitoring services many credit card companies offer. These services check whether personal user data is available online and request removal. Some companies even conduct checks regularly after the service is enabled, giving users more peace of mind.
2. Make public records private
People search sites have become increasingly robust and popular as they have become useful tools for people looking for information on others or perhaps employers conducting basic background checks. These sites rely on information available in public records, such as court documents, marriage and divorce certificates, and property deeds. Individuals can contact government agencies and authorities who hold these records and request that their documents be made private. This limits what information is available publicly – and on these sites.
3. Delete any unused accounts or software
Individuals who have been on the internet for years will have accumulated numerous online accounts for apps, platforms, and services. But, while users may no longer actively use these, the service may still store their information. As such, an important part of digital cleaning is to identify and permanently delete any online accounts or apps that are no longer in use or necessary. For example, it may be prudent to permanently deactivate old email addresses, e-commerce accounts, and social media profiles that are no longer being used. Additionally, it can be helpful to remove any unnecessary personal data from online accounts still being used – such as billing addresses and credit card information – and unused apps (and any associated information) from smartphones.
4. Use social media privacy settings
Social media stores a huge amount of PII examples for each user and can be mined for social engineering scams. Because of this, social media profiles should be a key consideration when thinking about “How do I remove my information from the internet.” It’s important to periodically review privacy settings for each profile – such as Instagram, Facebook, or X – and limit profile visibility as much as possible. For example, it may be appropriate to have a private Instagram account, only allow “friends” to see posts and photos on Facebook and hide sensitive data like addresses and phone numbers. It’s also essential to always be mindful of sharing on social media – photos especially can inadvertently reveal a lot of information. One aspect of how to clear your digital footprint can also involve archiving or deleting any old content – posts and images, for example – on social media profiles.
5. Delete information from Google
A quick search on Google reveals just how much personal information the search engine can mine from the internet. For this reason, an integral part of PII and cybersecurity is limiting how much of this data appears in Google search engine results. Be aware that many different types of PII examples can appear in these results, including social security numbers, email addresses, phone numbers, and even car registrations or home purchases. Users can file a request using an online form to have their data removed from Google search results, which includes images and indexed websites. It can also be helpful to regularly monitor search results or set up a Google Alert. These alerts let users know when their names – or other PII examples – appear online and allow them to take action to remove them when necessary.
6. Request third-party websites and apps to remove information
When considering “How can I remove my name from the internet”, it’s important to think about third-party websites and apps. As with Google, it’s usually possible for users to have their personal data removed, though it can be a more complicated process. Usually, users must contact the site or app directly to request that their information be removed, and there’s no guarantee that they’ll respond or comply. However, it’s essential to at least make the effort to try and avoid personal data being passed on to data brokers or being stolen. In some jurisdictions, such as the European Union or California, the law gives users the right to request data removal, so it can be useful to mention this if applicable.
7. Optimise browser privacy or use anti-tracking tools
Most users forget that web browsers store a massive amount of information about their online activity, so to secure PII, this should be considered as part of the digital cleaning process. Experts recommend optimizing browser privacy settings – disabling third-party cookies, preventing website tracking, limiting ads – regularly clearing browsing histories (including cookies and caches), and deleting unnecessary extensions. It can also be helpful to use anti-tracking software for additional security.
8.Monitor and protect your identity
While considering how to clear your digital footprint of sensitive information, it can be useful to start implementing a long-term process for monitoring and securing PII online. This might include using identity monitoring services, privatizing public records, checking for password leaks (and changing passwords regularly).
9. Pay for a scrubbing service
For users with neither the time nor inclination to handle a digital cleaning on their own, a paid scrubbing service may be useful. There are several options available online, covering a range of specific services and options. These services regularly scour the internet on a user’s behalf and remove personal data, helping to secure PII. Most services also provide regular updates so that users can see how much of their data appears online and is being removed.
How to Protect Personal Information
If the best offense is a good defense, then it follows that learning how to secure PII is as important as understanding how to clear your digital footprint. Learning the best practices for protecting personal information online makes it less likely that sensitive details will be vulnerable to hackers.
Useful steps for protecting personal data online:
- Use free tools to check if passwords have been stolen or leaked in a data breach.
- Secure all online accounts with strong and unique passwords using a password manager. Consider enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) for additional security.
- Create a secondary email address used exclusively for registering for online services such as newsletters or online shopping accounts.
- Activate anti-tracking tools that block websites and apps from tracking user activity and offer scam and phishing protections.
- Use a virtual private network (VPN), especially when connected to unsecured public Wi-Fi networks.
- Register for identity monitoring and theft protection – these services track personal data across the internet and notify users of suspicious activity.
- Be mindful of what details are shared on social media – limit photos and details such as locations.
- Be wary when installing apps or software – only use official stores and websites.
- Avoid linking multiple accounts – if one is breached, the others can be, too.
- Avoid sharing sensitive data, such as credit card information, through unsecured channels.
- Remember that private browsing, such as Chrome’s incognito mode, doesn’t protect online activity or personal data. Instead, use a privacy-focused browser or a VPN service.
Why choose Kaspersky
Kaspersky Premium offers various features designed to protect your PII, including:
- Privacy protection: tools to protect sensitive data by encrypting files and using secure passwords.
- Anti-phishing: prevent phishing attacks that could trick users into revealing PII.
- Safe online transactions: security for online banking and shopping to prevent financial and personal information from being stolen.
Related Articles and Links:
What to do if your personal privacy is breached
What is data theft and how to prevent it
Identity theft and identity fraud: What to do if your identity is stolen
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