What Does the Internet Know About You? A Self Audit Guide
Run a self audit of what is publicly findable about you online. Data brokers, people search sites, leaks, and old accounts.
Most people underestimate what is publicly findable about them online. Names, addresses, phone numbers, age, relatives, employers, salaries, voter records, hobbies, photos. The data lives in data brokers, people search sites, old accounts, and breach dumps. This is a guide to running a self audit and cleaning up the picture.
Intentional
Profiles you created. LinkedIn, Instagram, GitHub.
Public records
Voter rolls, property deeds, business filings, court records.
Data brokers
People search sites that aggregate everything.
Leaks and breaches
Old accounts dumped in a breach. HaveIBeenPwned tracks these.
The 30 minute self audit
- Search your full name on Google with quotes. Then add your city. Then add your employer.
- Run a phone number check on your own phone number to see the picture from the outside.
- Run your main email on HaveIBeenPwned.
- Check the top 10 people search sites (Spokeo, WhitePages, BeenVerified, Intelius, MyLife, FastPeopleSearch, FastBackgroundCheck, TruePeopleSearch, Radaris, PeekYou).
- Search your name on image search to see what photos surface.
- Search your name plus 'mugshot', 'arrest', 'court' to surface unflattering records.
What is usually findable
| Category | Typical availability | Sensitive |
|---|---|---|
| Full name and age | Almost always | Yes |
| Current city and state | Usually | Yes |
| Past addresses | Usually | High |
| Phone numbers | Often | High |
| Email addresses | Often | Moderate |
| Relatives | Often | Moderate |
| Employer history | Often (LinkedIn) | Low |
| Voter registration | Always (most US states) | Moderate |
| Property records | Almost always | High |
| Court records | Often | High |
The cleanup routine
- Submit opt out requests on the top 10 people search sites. Most honor requests within 30 days.
- Tighten privacy on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and other major social profiles.
- Use a paid removal service if you do not have time for the manual work (DeleteMe, Optery, Privacy Bee).
- Change passwords on any account flagged in HaveIBeenPwned.
- Set a calendar reminder to re audit in 90 days. Data brokers re aggregate from public records continuously.
Run a private check on any phone number
Get a 60 second report with possible owner, line type, location signals, and risk indicators. The phone owner is not notified.
Run a checkSubtopics covered in this guide
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Frequently asked questions
How do I see what is publicly visible about my phone number?
Run a phone number check on your own number. The report will show what carrier records, identity enrichment partners, and public web search return.
Can I remove my personal information from the internet completely?
Not completely. Public records and licensed databases will persist. You can dramatically reduce the footprint with consistent opt outs and privacy settings.
Are paid removal services worth it?
If your time is valuable, yes. DeleteMe and Optery handle dozens of opt outs continuously, including re removals when a broker re adds you.
What is the most important account to lock down?
Your primary email. It is the recovery point for almost everything else.
Does using a VPN remove information about me?
No. VPNs hide your live IP address. They do not remove data already stored at people search sites.
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