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ZDNET's key takeaways

• Personal data is widely collected and sold by data brokers, mostly without our knowledge.
• Manual takedowns are impractical, which is where data removal services come in. 
• These services can remove huge amounts of sensitive information from the internet.

There's an uncomfortable amount of our personal information floating around the internet, much of it collected by data brokers. Phone numbers, home addresses, and email addresses are just the tip of the iceberg of the data these companies collect, package, and sell. 

Much of this information comes from social media platforms, apps, and online services that routinely gather user data, and then feeds into a sprawling ecosystem that profits off knowing everything about you. In some other cases, those details come from major breaches.

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Don't want it out there? Sure, it's possible to remove this information yourself by contacting data brokers directly and requesting its removal. But the sheer number of them makes this a cumbersome task. There isn't a clear starting point or easy way to know how far your data has spread.

This is where data removal services come in.

These services scan the far-off corners of the internet, searching for your information. When they find something tied to you, they can get it taken down. 

Over the past month, I've personally tested two of the most notable names in this space: PrivacyBee and DeleteMe. I can say with confidence that these services are well worth it -- especially if you've been caught in multiple data breaches as I have. These services aren't just helpful; they are a powerful response to a flawed system.

So, allow me to make the case for data removal services. I'll explain why they're worth paying for and who stands to benefit from them.

Why data removal services are worth it

1. They remove a lot of information at once

Manually scrubbing your data from the web is essentially impossible; an automated solution can remove a lot of information at once. In my experience, I've seen them take down my name, phone number (both current and former), and even information about relatives I haven't spoken to in years. Some can dig pretty far back. I was shocked to see my old childhood house resurface in a recent scan.

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Once your information is found, the platform contacts the data brokers hosting it and submits a removal request on your behalf. This process can take a few days. Most brokers comply without much resistance, although there are occasional refusals. When that happens, the service will continue pushing until the data is successfully taken down.

2. They save you an enormous amount of time

According to the Electronic Privacy Information Center, there are thousands of data brokers operating in the US. They "buy, aggregate, disclose, and sell billions of data elements," with almost no oversight or regulation. You can contact many of these brokers yourself and opt-out of data collection. But manually contacting potentially thousands of websites is not an option. 

This is where data removal services come in. For example, PrivacyBee has a feature that shows how much work it saves for you. At the time of this writing, the platform had contacted over 1,000 data brokers and more than 180,000 custom sites. It saved me about four days straight of manual searching and requesting.

3. They provide ongoing monitoring

An underrated benefit of these data removal services is the ongoing monitoring they provide. Even if your data is removed, there's always a chance it'll reappear. Brokers constantly buy, sell, and republish information, so your details can resurface months, if not weeks, later. 

Companies like DeleteMe account for this by continuously monitoring the internet and resubmitting removal requests if sensitive information resurfaces. I realized after a while that the ongoing surveillance is the most valuable part of the service -- this is what you're really paying for.

Are there any limitations with data removal services?

As effective as data removal services are, they do have their limitations. For example, they won't touch public records. DeleteMe states on its support page that real estate records, business licenses, voter registrations, and "certain court records" are off-limits to them. Another limitation is information that has found its way to the dark web.

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The dark web is outside the reach of removal services, but that doesn't mean data that ends up there gets ignored. Some platforms, like PrivacyBee, monitor data leaks and breaches, keeping tabs on stolen data wherever it may go, including the dark web. If that stolen data ever shows up on a surface web data broker, the removal service will quickly send a takedown request before it circulates further.

Who should purchase a data removal service?

Data removal services make the most sense for high-visibility people. I'm talking about content creators, business executives, and anyone with a decently large public profile. If you're at risk of harassment or doxxing, or maybe you want to minimize how easily people can find your information, these services will help a lot.

They're also a good option for people -- like me -- whose information has been leaked. My data has been exposed eight different times, so I'm a good example of someone who needed a service. On the other hand, if you maintain a low profile online, you may find a data removal service to be unnecessary. 

What are some recommended data removal services?

I strongly suggest PrivacyBee. I enjoyed how thorough it was during testing, unearthing old phone numbers, distant relatives, and the address of my childhood home. The service stays actively involved throughout the process, checking in for clarification when needed, sending regular updates directly to your email, and offering neat extras, such as dark web monitoring.

Also: The best data removal services: Expert tested and reviewed

For other options, be sure to check out ZDNET's roundup of the best data removal services. There are 10 services listed in that guide, so you have plenty of choices depending on your needs and budget. 

ZDNET contributing writer Charlie Osborne wrote the roundup, and she ranked Incogni as the top pick. It's a well-rounded service that targets hundreds of data brokers, actively reduces spam calls, and even offers a mobile app for on-the-go management.