How to Opt Out of Data Brokers (Step by Step)
Opting out of data brokers is the single most impactful thing you can do for your online privacy. These sites publish your name, address, phone number, email, relatives, and more for anyone to find. The good news is that every legitimate data broker is required to honor removal requests. The bad news is that there are dozens of them and each one has a different process. Here is how to work through it efficiently.
Last updated March 18, 2026
> What to do
- 1
Find your listings across all major brokers
Search your name on TruePeopleSearch, Spokeo, WhitePages, BeenVerified, Radaris, Intelius, FastPeopleSearch, and USSearch. Run a people search on EXPOSE to check all the major brokers at once. Write down which sites have your information and what details they show.
- 2
Prioritize by visibility and traffic
Start with the sites that show the most information for free. TruePeopleSearch and FastPeopleSearch display full details without requiring payment, which makes them the most dangerous. Then move to high-traffic paid sites like Spokeo and BeenVerified. Save smaller, less-known brokers for later.
- 3
Submit removal requests one by one
Each broker has its own opt-out process. Some let you opt out directly from your profile page. Others require you to email them. A few require uploading a photo ID. Set aside an hour or two and work through them in order. Use a dedicated email address for these requests so you can track confirmations.
- 4
Track your progress and confirm removals
Keep a spreadsheet with the broker name, date you submitted the request, and the date you confirmed removal. Most brokers process removals within 1 to 4 weeks. After the expected processing time, go back to each site and search your name again to confirm your listing is gone.
- 5
Re-check every 3 months
Data brokers re-list people constantly. They receive fresh data from public records, marketing databases, and other aggregators on a regular cycle. Even after a successful opt-out, your information can reappear within 3 to 6 months. Set a calendar reminder to re-check quarterly and re-submit as needed.
- 6
Consider ongoing monitoring
If you don't want to manually re-check every quarter, set up monitoring that alerts you when your information reappears. This is especially important if you have a specific reason to keep your information private, like safety concerns or a public-facing career.
> Why opting out is an ongoing battle
Data brokers don't collect your information once and stop. They continuously pull from public records (voter rolls, property deeds, court filings), commercial data sources (purchase history, loyalty programs), and other aggregators. When a new data update comes in with your name and address, the broker creates a new listing even if you previously opted out. This is why one-time opt-outs don't stick. The brokers aren't being malicious about it; their systems are automated and designed to rebuild profiles from incoming data. Fighting this requires regular maintenance.
> SCAN_NOW
Find your data broker listings first
Search your name to see which data broker sites have your personal information so you know exactly where to submit opt-out requests.