Have you ever felt like your phone is ringing off the hook with scam calls, or your inbox is overflowing with suspicious messages from people you’ve never met?
If so, you’re not alone—and chances are, your personal information is floating around the internet, available to anyone with a credit card or a little know-how.
This can be confusing and alarming for Australians who didn’t grow up with the internet as a second language.
But here’s the good news: you can take back some control. While deleting yourself from the internet entirely is a bit like trying to put toothpaste back in the tube, there are practical steps you can take to reduce your digital footprint, protect your privacy, and make life much harder for scammers and data brokers.
Why is your data out there in the first place?
Let’s start with the basics. Every time you sign up for a newsletter, enter a competition, or even just browse a website, you’re leaving little breadcrumbs of information behind.
Over time, these crumbs add up to a detailed profile: your name, address, phone number, email, shopping habits, and even your political leanings or health status.
Data brokers—companies you’ve probably never heard of—collect and sell this information to marketers, political groups, and, unfortunately, sometimes to scammers.
Dr Arash Shanghagi, a Senior Lecturer in Cyber Security at UNSW, puts it bluntly: ‘People opt out of data broker databases to protect their privacy and reduce risks like identity theft, fraud, or aggressive marketing. Brokers collect and sell personal details, often without consent. This exposure can make you a target.’
Ever received a call that starts with, ‘Hi Alice, this is Sarah from your energy provider. We’ve noticed unusual usage at your home on 10 Sydney Street. To secure your account, can you confirm your billing details?’
It sounds legitimate because they know your name and address—but it’s a scam, powered by data bought from brokers.
So, what can you do about it? Here’s a step-by-step guide to reclaiming your privacy.
Step 1: Start with free tools
The first port of call is to see what’s already out there. Google’s ‘Results About You’ tool is a good starting point.
It scans the web for your name, email, phone number, and address, and lets you request removal from Google’s search results if your details pop up. It’s simple, free, and a good way to dip your toe in the water.
But—and it’s a big but—this only removes your info from Google’s search results, not from the original websites or data broker databases.
As Dr Shanghagi warns, ‘Google’s core business is built on data-driven advertising, so when they offer a tool like “Results About You,” it’s worth noting what it actually does—and doesn’t do. Use it, but don’t mistake it for real protection.’
Other free tools worth exploring include Google’s Security Checkup and My Activity, which help you spot suspicious activity on your account and tighten up your security settings.
Step 2: Go deeper with premium services
If you’re ready to get serious, there are paid services that will do the heavy lifting for you.
Companies like DeleteMe, PrivacyBee, Mozilla Monitor, and Optery scan hundreds of data broker sites and, depending on your subscription, will request the removal of your data on your behalf.
Lawrence Gentilello, CEO of Optery, explains the stakes: ‘The personal information collected by data brokers is compiled into extremely detailed profiles. The scale and granularity of data collection is beyond what most people would even imagine, sometimes including tens of thousands of sub-attributes and inferences about a person’s behaviour, which may or may not be accurate.’
These profiles can include everything from your real-time location to your favourite coffee order, and are sold to marketers, political groups, and even, disturbingly, to anyone willing to pay.
When data brokers get hacked, these profiles can end up on the dark web, fuelling identity theft, scams, and even physical threats like stalking or harassment.
With services like Optery, you can get a free report on what data is out there about you, and then either manually request removal or pay for a subscription to have them do it for you.
While most of these services are US-based, they do cover many international sites, and for Australians, it’s better than nothing.
Step 3: The nuclear option—deleting your online presence
If you’re ready to go full ‘digital hermit’, you can start deleting your accounts from social media, online stores, and any apps you’ve signed up for.
Some platforms let you delete your account from the settings menu, while others require you to contact customer support or use third-party tools to scrub your data.
Don’t forget to delete the apps from your devices once your accounts are gone. And if you want to go truly scorched earth, you can even contact The Internet Archive to request removal of archived versions of your data.
Of course, this is a massive undertaking, and it’s almost impossible to erase every trace of yourself from the internet.
But every step you take reduces your exposure and makes it harder for scammers to find you.
Step 4: The practical, privacy-first approach
If deleting yourself entirely sounds a bit extreme, there’s a middle ground. Dr Shanghagi recommends adopting some privacy-first habits:
- Use privacy-focused browsers like Brave or Firefox, and install ad blockers to cut down on tracking.
- Use alias emails and phone numbers (services like Firefox Relay or SimpleLogin can help).
- Create a ‘privacy-first’ identity for newsletters, online shopping, or giveaways—keep your real details for essentials only.
- Be mindful of what you share on social media. Oversharing is a goldmine for data brokers.
- Avoid ‘Sign in with Google’ or Facebook logins, which link your activity across platforms.
- Regularly check and tighten your privacy settings on social, email, and mobile accounts.
- Use a VPN, especially on public Wi-Fi, to hide your IP address and encrypt your traffic.
- Opt out of marketing lists and use opt-out tools to remove your info from broker databases.
- Be selective with online forms—if a company doesn’t need your birthdate or phone number, don’t give it to them.
The goal isn’t to disappear completely, but to be intentional about what you share and who you share it with. A little effort goes a long way in protecting your digital footprint.
Bonus tips for staying private
- Before buying a new device or signing up for a new service, check Mozilla’s Privacy Not Included database to see how ‘creepy’ it is.
- Use the Terms of Service: Didn’t Read website to get a plain-English summary of what you’re agreeing to.
- Get creative with your aliases—just make sure you can remember them!
Final thoughts
The internet can be a wonderful tool for staying connected, shopping, and learning—but it’s also a playground for scammers and data brokers.
By taking a few proactive steps, you can reduce your risk, protect your privacy, and enjoy the benefits of the digital world with greater peace of mind.
Have you tried deleting yourself from the internet, or taken steps to protect your privacy online? What worked for you, and what didn’t?
Share your experiences and tips in the comments below—your story might just help someone else stay safe!
Also read: Inside the shadowy world of data brokers trading your personal info
