Does DeleteMe Actually Get Your Info off the Internet? I Tried It
The article details the author's experience with DeleteMe, a data broker removal service, which has helped reduce spam calls and clean up personal info from Google results since January, but is not a silver bullet.
DeleteMe, founded in 2010, claims to be one of the oldest companies in data removal. It works by contacting data brokers on your behalf to have them remove your personal information, including current and past addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. The author has been using DeleteMe since January and reports that while it is not a silver bullet for eliminating all unwanted communication, it has helped reduce the number of unsolicited marketing calls. Additionally, personal info has been cleaned from Google results, making it easier to find old articles rather than the author's home address.
The author has also used Incogni, managing an account for an elderly mother, with similar results. According to DeleteMe executive Jason Dalrymple, all such services essentially do the same thing, bound by the same laws, and it is a cat-and-mouse game. The degree to which data brokers must cooperate with deletion requests is legally murky due to the lack of comprehensive federal privacy law in the US. Regulations are at the state level, with varying protections—some states like California have strong protections, while many have none. Data brokers may require identity verification, deny requests, or ignore them, necessitating follow-up by the removal service.
Both DeleteMe and Incogni offer dashboards to track progress. The main difference noted is that DeleteMe's dashboard updates less frequently and shows fewer brokers contacted, providing reports every few months. Incogni updates more often, rating brokers on speed and compliance. Dalrymple argues that DeleteMe's more targeted approach is a feature, not a bug, as sending information to too many brokers could actually exacerbate the problem by spreading data to companies where it was never present.
Comparing efficacy is nearly impossible due to many factors. However, DeleteMe has longevity, with an average user staying for three years and some for over eight years. The author cautions that spam calls won't disappear overnight. The service costs about $100 per year, and reclaiming privacy is a long-term process. The US Do Not Call registry is no longer effective, as it does not block calls from charities, political parties, or surveys, and joining it may even compromise data further.
When DeleteMe started, Meta was still a private company called Facebook, and people were eager to share everything online. Dalrymple recalls pitching to venture capitalists who said "privacy is dead." Perhaps Gen Z will revive privacy, but for those tired of harassment, DeleteMe may be worth the investment.
