11 ways to delete or hide yourself from the internet – and protect your privacy

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ZDNET key takeaways

• Your online footprint is bigger than you think.
• Personal data can resurface long after you delete it.
• True digital privacy takes constant attention.

Keeping a tight lid on the online data connected to you, your life, and your habits is becoming increasingly important -- and difficult.

A PC, mobile device, or even a smartwatch with an internet connection allows us to stay connected with friends and family, work, stay entertained, monitor our health and habits, and handle our finances. But benefits aside, how you represent yourself, and how others see you, on social media and other online platforms can have a real impact on your career prospects, reputation, and relationships.

Also: Best VPN services 2025: Our top picks for speed and security

A misjudged tweet from years ago, an inappropriate Facebook photo tied to your name, an embarrassing video, or a controversial TikTok can have real-world consequences. That's not all: Marketers constantly invade your privacy by scraping publicly available information on you, your public profiles, and your search history for targeted marketing.

You may also need to wipe the slate clean due to abuse or stalking.

While it can be nearly impossible to remove your digital footprint, there are tried and tested steps that can help you take control of your privacy and data. Follow our guide below to find out where to start.

1. Run a Google search

Google's search engine provides links and website addresses to users in response to search queries, but unless the right controls are in place, your search queries can be cataloged for marketing purposes. On the other hand, Google can also be used to uncover exactly what information about you is in the public domain.

Also: How to remove your personal info from Google Search - it's quick and easy

Not every search engine will reveal the same results. Try out other search engines, such as Bing, for a more comprehensive look.

Once you know what is online about you, you can start tackling the problem. Run a quick search for your full name and note any website domains that flag you, social media account links, YouTube videos, and anything else of interest. You may also want to check image results, too.

Tips for secure browsing and searching

• To improve your privacy and reduce your online footprint, prevent search engines from cataloging your queries. This information can be used to create a profile of your interests, product choices, and more, which can then be sold to marketing agencies.
• We recommend using the Brave browser for the best secure browsing experience. DuckDuckGo -- available as a browser or a search engine -- is also an excellent choice to prevent personal data collection.

Check out our recommendations: The best secure browsers for privacy: Expert tested

2. Check ChatGPT

You can ask the AI chatbot what information is publicly available on you. The AI chatbot isn't always fully reliable, but it can give you an overview of what information is floating around the internet and tied to your name -- and this may include your career, education, blog posts, images, and more.

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, ZDNET's parent company, filed an April 2025 lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

Also: How to use ChatGPT: A beginner's guide to the most popular AI chatbot

While you will yield better results with search engines, this step is also worth taking.

3. The right to be forgotten

In the EU, citizens can request the removal of information from Google search results. After filling in this form, requests are reviewed by Google employees on a case-by-case basis. You must provide the specific URLs you want to be delisted, search queries related to these URLs, and you must explain why the tech giant should agree to your request with a solid argument and evidence.

The more information you can provide, the better.

"Broadly, the reviewer will consider whether and how the information may be in the public interest and weigh this against your rights under the applicable data protection law," Google says. "There are several reasons why information may be in the public interest. As part of the balancing exercise, Google looks to a number of different sources, such as the guidelines developed by European data protection regulators."

Also: I found the easiest way to delete myself from the internet - and it's fast

Google adheres to the data protection laws in your area but may not accept every request to remove links about you.

Reasons given for refusal include technical issues, duplicate URLs, information deemed "strongly in the public interest," and whether the content on a web page relates to professional life, past convictions, work positions, or self-authored content.

At the time of writing, Google has received roughly 1.88 million delisting requests and around 7.4 million URL delisting requests. Over three million URLs have been delisted after review.

If you are a resident of the U.S. or elsewhere, you may be able to request that limited information be removed from search results, such as phone numbers or home addresses that could be used for identity theft and may have been leaked through doxxing.

4. Visit Have I Been Pwned

You can't control your digital footprint without knowing where and what information concerning you is stored. But just as important is knowing whether any records on you have been leaked online.

The Have I Been Pwned service, run by cybersecurity expert Troy Hunt, can be a useful tool for determining whether any of your account information has been compromised or included in a data breach. Considering how common data breaches now are, it's likely.

Also: Your logins could be among 180M just added to Have I Been Pwned - how to check for free

If you find an email address or telephone number of yours has been "pwned" -- in other words, you have been linked to a data breach -- check to see what leaks you are involved in. There will be a message along the lines of, "Oh no -- pwned! Pwned in 9 data breaches and found no pastes."

Don't panic. The majority of us will be connected to a data breach. Instead, focus on changing any passwords you have used on compromised accounts, as they are now vulnerable -- and ensure you aren't using them for any other services.

You won't be able to do much about the data leak itself, but it could also serve as a reminder of the online accounts you've opened but no longer use. Consider deleting any accounts you no longer need.

5. Run a Google security checkup

Visit your Google Account page, where you can find numerous settings to boost your privacy, reduce data collection, or remove yourself from the ecosystem altogether if you use services such as Gmail or Google Search.

• Privacy checkup: The Google Privacy checkup allows you to tell Google to stop saving search queries and your location history.

You can choose to disallow Google from saving web and app activities, Chrome history, voice and audio, and other data.

Google includes a YouTube history autodelete function that lets you request that any YouTube logs older than three months be automatically wiped.

Also: Your Android phone's most critical security feature is turned off by default - how to enable it ASAP

You can also choose whether to allow Google to use your information for tailored advertising and what you want to happen to the data in your account if it goes inactive.

• Security checkup: The Google Security checkup can show you which devices can access your account, including laptops, PCs, and handsets. You can also find a list of third-party applications that have been granted permission to access your account. Revoke permissions as necessary.
• Download your data: To find out exactly what data Google holds on you, head over to Google Takeout. You can download an archive of your information, including access logs, calendar records, Chrome data, Drive files, and more.
• Delete me: Found under Account Preferences, Google's deletion service can be used to delete select products or remove your account entirely. You can also download a copy of all your data.
• Personalized ads, search results: If you want to stick with Google's search engine, you can still ask the company not to show you results based on data associated with your Google account. In addition, you can ask for no personalized ads.
• Quick tip: If you recently upgraded your phone, tablet, or another device and no longer use your old one, make sure you sign out of any and all accounts, or they may be compromised if that device falls into the wrong hands.

6. Use a data removal service

Data brokers are another way for your information to end up online or in the hands of companies without your explicit consent -- and, thanks to scraping, bots, and automated data collection, attempting to control this manually is very time-consuming.

However, there are excellent online services that will keep your information out of the hands of data brokers.

One of our favorites is Incogni, operated by Surfshark. This data removal service is hands-off, doesn't require any technical knowledge to use, and automatically sends removal requests on your behalf to U.S. data brokers and beyond.

After putting it to the test, I found that it quickly removed entries containing my PII and continually enforced deletion through automated requests -- an essential aspect of staying out of data broker databases, since nothing is stopping them from reacquiring your data. Incogni also asks that its users be placed on suppression lists, which may help prevent their information from reappearing on people search websites or in data broker systems.

Also: Incogni vs. DeleteMe: I compared the two best data removal services, and there's a clear winner

Custom removals for targeted websites or URLs are also available.

We've compiled a list of the best services that can help you remove public search results, records, and force organizations to comply with data protection laws and delete your information. Alongside Incogni, we also recommend services, including DeleteMe.

Also: The best data removal services of 2025: Delete yourself from the internet

7. Lock down your social media

Your social media accounts, including Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok, are gold mines full of sensitive data. If you are serious about deleting yourself from the internet, you need to either lock them down or delete them. Here's how.

Also: How to delete Facebook, Messenger, or Instagram - if you want Meta out of your life

Facebook

In the Settings tab, you can download all of Facebook's information on you. In the Privacy tab, you should restrict your posts to "friends only," limit your past posts, and decide whether to disallow lookups using your provided email address or phone number.

You also have the option to remove your Facebook profile from search engine results outside of the social networking platform. Under the Location tab, consider turning off Facebook's location data collection, too.

If you look at Apps and Websites, you can see what is connected to your Facebook account. If you choose to delete these, Facebook can also automatically remove posts, videos, and events that the connected service has posted on your behalf.

I would also suggest you visit Settings > Camera roll sharing suggestions and turn this feature off, as it allows Facebook to read your camera roll to make sharing suggestions.

X

In my opinion, Twitter, now known as X following Elon Musk's acquisition, has lost many of its useful security and privacy features. Nonetheless, if you're still on Twitter, head to the Settings tab to download an archive of your data, restrict your posts, or delete your account.

Pay careful attention to the Data Sharing and Personalization section. There, you can manage ad preferences, data sharing, and whether to allow X to use an "Inferred Identity" to personalize your experience -- in other words, an identity created through activity on devices you have not logged into X with.

Bluesky

If you've moved from Twitter to Bluesky, go to Privacy and Security to lock down your account.

A feature you might find particularly useful is the "Logged out Visibility" option. If you enable this setting, Bluesky may not show your profile and posts to logged-out users.

Instagram

Facebook-owned Instagram has a number of privacy settings you can also change to maintain an acceptable level of privacy.

By default, anyone can view your photos and videos on your Instagram account unless you are a minor, in which case your account should be private by default. However, by going to your profile, clicking Settings, Account Privacy, and switching "Private account" on, you can make sure your content is only viewed by approved users.

TikTok

Under More > Manage Account, you can choose to make your TikTok account private or delete it entirely. You can also download an archive of your information.

If you go to the Ads tab, you can manage how ads are personalized, disable personalized ads entirely, and also request that TikTok clear any information that advertisers have shared about you. This process can take up to 30 days.

8. Consider deleting social media

Remove everything: A more extreme option is to delete all of your primary social media accounts.

On Facebook, go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Your Facebook Information, then click Deactivation & Deletion to deactivate it. This gives you the option to return later and does not immediately delete your data. Your settings, photos, and other content are saved, but your Facebook presence will not appear beyond unclickable text.

You can also permanently delete your account. If you have trouble finding this setting, you can type "delete Facebook" in the Help Center tab. You are given a grace period to change your mind and log back in. It can take up to 90 days for content on your Facebook wall and in your account to be deleted.

Also: How to delete your X/Twitter account for good (and protect your data)

To deactivate X, you need to click on Your Account and then click Deactivate Your Account. Your account will be deactivated for 30 days, and if you do not log in during this period, it will be permanently deleted.

On Bluesky, head to Account, where you can either deactivate or delete your account.

To delete your Instagram account, log in and go to the request deletion page. Once you have submitted an answer as to why you are deleting your account, you will be prompted to re-enter your password, and then a delete account option will appear.

Over at TikTok, visit Privacy and Settings, Account Control, and click Delete Account.

9. Wipe old accounts, websites, and blog posts

Is it necessary to preserve what you had for breakfast one morning in 2020 or your review of a now-closed store near you? No.

Time and effort are required to comb through old posts, but the result is worth it, and this may also train you to be more selective about the information you share in the future. Unless the account is one you use frequently, consider permanently deleting it.

It can be a pain to find, remember, and recover credentials for old accounts, but this is an essential step in locking down your data.

Also: The best password managers of 2025: Expert tested

To find your old accounts, visit Have I Been Pwned, check the lists of connected apps in your Facebook and Google accounts, and, if you have a password manager, check it for the credentials of accounts you have used since signing up.

You may have to manually log in to each account you want to remove and, depending on the service, either delete your information there or contact the service provider to request removal.

Justdeleteme.com is a helpful directory containing guides to removing accounts from countless online services and ratings of how hard each type of account is to remove, ranging from "easy" to "impossible."

10. Hide yourself

If you cannot delete online accounts outright and can only deactivate them, before you do, hide as much content on them as possible. If the account is no longer relevant to you, consider changing its name and personal details, and removing or replacing photos with generic alternatives.

When it comes to active accounts, such as on Facebook or Twitter, anonymity or aliases can help keep your digital and physical presence separate.

It is against most terms of service to use a name other than your full, correct name, but it is still common practice for many to change their surname, at least to prevent work and personal accounts -- and lives -- from colliding. You can also delete personal photos and change them to something that doesn't identify you.

11. Bonus: Use a VPN

A virtual private network (VPN) can mask your IP address and create a private tunnel between you and online services. Data and communication packets sent between a browser and servers are encrypted, which can prevent eavesdroppers from harvesting your information or tracking your online activity.

There are services out there that are both subscription-based and free. It is generally better to sign up for a paid VPN service if you can -- no VPN service is truly "free" given the cost of creating and maintaining the infrastructure required to route traffic.

I recommend NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or Surfshark for most VPN users. They provide reliable, fast, and secure online browsing and streaming, and can prevent you from being tracked online.

Also: Best VPN services 2025: Our top picks for speed and security

If you want to further anonymize your footprint, consider using the Tor onion router network or the new Mullvad Browser.

FAQs

How do I limit what marketers send and see?

Another way to keep your digital footprint clean of debris is to separate online services between email accounts. If you need to provide an email address for a one-off purchase, consider using a junk email address -- which will quickly fill up with promotional material but will keep your primary email address from being added to more marketing databases.

For example, you could set up two Gmail accounts, one as a primary and one as a delegate for spam and potential junk.

What can I do to delete embarrassing or explicit content online?

You may have come across embarrassing forum posts or messages that you do not have the privileges required to delete -- or you may discover that sensitive personal images or videos of you have been shared without your permission.

The first step you should take is to contact organizations and webmasters directly.

When you contact them, include a link to the content you are concerned about, give your reasons, and hope they agree to delete it. However, do not expect an immediate response.

An exception to this is explicit content and what is known as revenge porn: If intimate images have been shared out of spite, you will likely have more success in getting them rapidly removed, especially from social networks.

It's important to try to get the images or videos taken down as quickly as possible, not only to reduce viewership but also to protect your mental health.

If you can, reach out to friends and family and ask them to report offending posts or email webmasters on your behalf. If your images and videos have been uploaded to pornography services anonymously, however, you'll be in for more of a battle -- and it may be time to get law enforcement agencies involved.

If you are a U.S. victim of online, intimate image abuse, you can also reach out to the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative.

You need to research your local laws and find out if the person posting your content could be prosecuted. For example, revenge porn in the United Kingdom is illegal, and there are cases of perpetrators being jailed. If you are a minor, please talk to a trusted parent or guardian and let them help you.

What can I do if things have gone too far online?

Starting from scratch may seem extreme, but it could be worth considering in some cases. The outright deletion of email accounts, social media, and e-commerce services won't immediately destroy all of your data or search results connected to them, but it will, over time, make them less likely to appear.

Just ensure that before you take this irrevocable step, you have backed up any data you want to keep, such as irreplaceable photos you uploaded to social media or document scans stashed away in your email inbox.

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