I’m not a lawyer, but from my understanding there’s actually no legal obligation for them to delete US citizens’ data, but they generally do it anyways to avoid creating backlash that would lead to regulation.
Comment on Minnesota Shooting Suspect Allegedly Used Data Broker Sites to Find Targets’ Addresses
FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 9 months ago
It’s actually really easy to get your info off these sites, as they have to delete it upon your request. Just take 20 minutes, pull up any random Top 20 Background Check Sites list, and go to town with those deletion requests.
Mk23simp@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 months ago
FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 9 months ago
It probably depends on the state.
But, I did mine five years ago and still check it periodically. My info’s not on Spokeo or any of those scummy sites even all these years later, so it’s a good way to spend 20-30 minutes.
Erasmus@lemmy.world 9 months ago
I read your post and reply below and am surprised that your info never showed back up online.
I tried this myself about a year ago back when Google first announced they would also add a tool to assist in removal of unnecessary info like this.
I found that I was able to remove about 70% that never came back.
10-15 percent more, whether they were via Google or whatever, would flat out refuse to remove the info for various reasons.
The remainder would often remove it only for me to find it later with some sort of ‘change’ and that being - they put the info back in and had changed the spelling of my last name or now had me listed as a business so as to get around certain privacy listing rules (like WTF).
FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 9 months ago
Interesting!
I haven’t run into any of that. Not sure why, but what a pain.