Your Private Data Is All over the Internet. Here’s What You Can Do About It…

by Eric Franklin at CNet

If you’re reading this, it’s likely your personal information is available to the public. And by “public” I mean everyone everywhere. It’s never a bad time to get your internet privacy ducks in a row and effectively “delete” yourself from the internet. But if you’re wondering how deleting yourself from the internet can stop companies from getting hold of your info? Short answer: It can’t.

You can never completely remove yourself from the internet, but there are ways to minimize your digital footprint, which would lower the chances of your personal data being out there. Be forewarned, however: Removing your information from the internet, as I’ve outlined below, could adversely affect your ability to communicate with potential employers. Still interested? Here are some ways to disappear your digital self.

1. Delete or deactivate your shopping, social media and web service accounts

Think about which networks you have social media profiles on. Aside from the big ones (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn), do you still have old accounts on sites like Tumblr? MySpace? What about your Reddit account? Which shopping sites have you registered on? Common ones might include information stored on Amazon, Gap.com, Macys.com and others.

To get rid of these accounts, go to your account settings and look for an option to either deactivate, remove or close your account. Depending on the account, you may find it under Privacy or Security, or something similar.

If you’re having trouble with a particular online account…