Personal information is the most valuable thing you own online, and almost everyone wants a piece of it. Social networks sell access to it through advertising. Data brokers compile and resell it. Criminals steal it. Employers, landlords and strangers look it up. The original version of this article gave three simple steps, and the core idea has held up: you do not need a degree in security to make a real difference. In this 2026 update we expand each step into a practical plan you can complete this week.
1. Why your information is the product
Free services are not free. Social networks, search engines and many apps earn their revenue by showing advertisements, and advertisements are worth more when they are targeted. Targeting requires data about who you are, what you like and what you are likely to buy. Everything you share, from your birthday to your photos, becomes input.
The same logic applies to people who never use social media. Data brokers assemble profiles from property records, voter files, purchase histories and public filings, then sell them to marketers, employers, landlords and the public through people-search sites. Our guide to big data is your data explains how the information is gathered, and data brokers are selling your personal information covers the sale.
The goal of the three steps below is to reduce the flow at three different points: the platforms you use, the accounts you keep and the brokers that publish what is already out there.
2. Step 1: limit what platforms collect
Platforms ask for more than they need, and they are designed to make sharing feel natural. Counter that with deliberate choices.
Share less. Leave optional fields blank, particularly birthday, hometown, relationship status, employer and phone number. Each detail makes your profile more valuable to advertisers and more useful to impersonators.
Tighten visibility. Set profiles to private or friends-only. Limit who can look you up by email or phone number. Review who can see old posts. On Facebook, the walk-through in how to use Facebook privacy settings covers the main controls, and managing privacy on Facebook goes deeper.
Turn off data sharing with third parties. Remove apps and games that are connected to your account, switch off ad personalization and delete connected devices you no longer use.
Avoid location oversharing. Disable automatic location tagging on posts and photos, and avoid check-ins at your home or workplace. Our guide to keeping your location private and safe shows the phone settings that matter.
Think before you post. Photos can reveal addresses, school logos, license plates and routines. A rule of thumb: do not post anything that you would not want a stranger, a scammer or an employer to read.
Curious what’s already out there? Wiperts’ 100% Free Diagnosis shows which data brokers are listing your name, home address and phone number. Check your exposure free — it takes about a minute.
3. Step 2: secure the accounts you keep
Privacy settings do not help if someone takes over your account. Account security is the second pillar.
- Use a unique password for every account, generated and stored by a password manager.
- Turn on multi-factor authentication for email, banking, social media and cloud storage. An authenticator app or a hardware key is stronger than text messages.
- Secure your email first. Your email can reset the password to almost everything else.
- Use alias emails for shopping and social sites so a leak at one does not reveal your main address. See how to set up an alias email address.
- Review logged-in devices and sessions every few months and sign out of anything unfamiliar.
- Freeze your credit to block new accounts opened in your name.
- Be skeptical of links and attachments, particularly messages that create urgency.
For more tips in this vein, read 5 tips for protecting your online privacy and five simple privacy tips for instant improvements.
4. Step 3: remove your data from brokers and people-search sites
Even a perfectly locked-down account does not change what brokers publish. This third step addresses the information that is already public.
Search your name with your city, your phone number in quotation marks and your address. Note every site that lists you. The most visited people-search sites publish names, current and past addresses, phone numbers, ages and relatives, often for free. Scammers, stalkers and identity thieves use that data.
Then submit opt-out requests using each site’s official form. For example, Spokeo accepts a listing URL and an email address, and TruthFinder and similar PeopleConnect brands use a central suppression page. Our data broker cleanup guide explains the sequence and how to prevent relistings.
California residents have an additional tool. The state’s Delete Request and Opt-out Platform, known as DROP, opened on January 1, 2026, and registered data brokers must process requests starting August 1, 2026, then recheck for new requests on a recurring basis. It is free and available at privacy.ca.gov/drop. Our guide to the California Delete Act and DROP walks through the process.
5. Keeping the system running
Protection fades without upkeep. Make three recurring appointments.
- Monthly: review statements and login alerts.
- Quarterly: audit app permissions, social settings and connected accounts. Recheck your name on the top people-search sites.
- Annually: pull your credit reports, update passwords for key accounts and rethink what you share publicly.
A short log helps: write down opt-outs, dates and confirmations so you can see what needs a follow-up.
6. Putting the three steps into a weekend plan
You do not need a perfect system, only a sequence. On Saturday morning, spend an hour on Step 1: open the privacy settings of the two platforms you use most and walk through every option, switching to the most protective choice you can live with. Remove third-party apps you no longer use and clear old posts that reveal your address or workplace. Saturday afternoon, handle Step 2: install a password manager, change the passwords for email, banking and your main social account, and turn on multi-factor authentication. Freeze your credit while you are at it; the process is explained at IdentityTheft.gov and on each bureau’s site.
Sunday is for Step 3. Search your name, collect the list of sites, and submit opt-outs for the biggest five. Write the date in a log and set a reminder for 30 days. By Sunday evening you will have closed the three biggest doors, and the rest is maintenance.
7. When convenience pushes back
Expect friction. Some services will push you to share more or make privacy controls hard to find. When that happens, ask whether the service is essential. If it is, share the minimum and keep a separate alias email for it. If it is not, consider an alternative that collects less. Remember that each choice you make is also a vote for the kind of product that survives, and that regulators in a growing number of states are requiring simpler opt-out controls, which should make this easier over time.
8. Three scenarios
Scenario 1: You rarely post, but you get a lot of spam. Your data likely comes from brokers rather than social media. Prioritize Step 3, and use alias emails for new signups.
Scenario 2: You are active on social media for work. Create a public professional profile with minimal personal details and a private personal profile. Keep location and family information off the public one.
Scenario 3: You recently had a breach notice. Focus on Step 2 first, changing reused passwords and enabling multi-factor authentication, then freeze credit. Follow with Step 3 so leaked data is harder to match with a current address.
9. What to expect: a realistic timeline
| Step | Setup time | When you see results |
|---|---|---|
| Limit platform data | 1 to 2 hours | Immediately for new posts |
| Secure accounts | 2 to 3 hours | Immediately |
| Broker opt-outs | A few hours | Days to 4 weeks |
| Ongoing upkeep | 15 minutes a month | Continuous |
10. Common mistakes
- Treating privacy settings as a one-time task, when platforms change them.
- Using the same password with small changes.
- Opting out of one site and leaving others.
- Forgetting that relatives’ profiles can list your details.
- Ignoring search results that cache removed pages.
11. How Wiperts handles Step 3 for you
The hardest part of the plan is Step 3, since it involves hundreds of sites and repeated requests. Wiperts scans more than 100 data brokers and people-search sites for your name, address and phone number, submits the removal requests, requests removal of personal results from Google and Bing, blurs your home on maps and monitors 24/7 so relisted data is taken down again. You keep control of Steps 1 and 2, and Wiperts keeps Step 3 running.
See what is public about you today.
100% Free Diagnosis: Check Your Exposure
Find out what data brokers have on you. Enter your details in the free scanner on the Wiperts homepage:
- First Name
- Last Name
- Select State
- Email Address
- Website
Scan Databases Now — no payment is needed to see your exposure report.
12. Key takeaways
- Share less and tighten visibility on the platforms you use.
- Secure accounts with unique passwords, multi-factor authentication and a credit freeze.
- Remove broker and people-search listings, and recheck regularly.
- Build a light maintenance routine so protection lasts.
Pick the Wiperts plan that fits your household
| Plan | Covers | One-time deep scrub | Then |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | 1 person | $89 | $14/month |
| Couples (most popular) | 2 people | $149 | $24/month |
| Family | Up to 4 people | $199 | $39/month |
Every plan includes removal of your name, date of birth, salary, home address and phone number from 100+ data brokers and people-search sites, Google and Bing search-result removal, home blurring on maps, and 24/7 monitoring that re-removes your data if it reappears. See plans and start your removal
13. Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most important step to protect personal information?
There is no single step, but the biggest returns come from sharing less on social platforms, securing accounts with unique passwords and multi-factor authentication and removing your listings from data broker and people-search sites.
Why do social media companies want my data?
Their free services are paid for by advertising and partnerships that rely on detailed profiles of users. The more accurate and complete your information, the more valuable it is to advertisers.
How can I limit what Facebook knows about me?
Review privacy settings, limit who sees your posts and profile, turn off ad personalization where possible, remove third-party app connections and avoid posting details like your address, birth date and travel plans.
Do privacy settings stop data brokers?
No. Brokers draw on public records, purchases and other sources outside social media. Settings limit new exposure; opt-outs and removal address records that are already published.
Is deleting social media enough?
It helps, but it does not erase data held by brokers, search engines or other users. Combine account deletion with removal of listings and search results.
What can California residents do?
They can use the California Privacy Protection Agency’s DROP platform to send one deletion request to registered data brokers, which must process requests starting August 1, 2026 and keep checking for new ones.
Sources
Related Reading
- Five Simple Privacy Tips You Can Do Today
- 5 Tips for Protecting Your Online Privacy in 2026
- 15 Ways to Erase Private Information From the Internet
- How to Use Facebook Privacy Settings to Protect Your Information
- How to Clean Up or Delete Data Broker Profiles of You
- California Delete Act and DROP: Delete Your Data Broker Records
- How to Stop Websites From Tracking Your Clicks
- Big Data Is Your Data: How Collection Turns Into Profiles
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