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How to: Take back your privacy from data brokers

Here are some examples of how you opt out from sites that harvest and collect your personal information.

Brian Cooley Editor at Large
Brian Cooley is CNET's Editor at large and has been with the brand since 1995. He currently focuses on electrification of vehicles but also follows the big trends in smart home, digital healthcare, 5G, the future of food, and augmented & virtual realities. Cooley is a sought after presenter by brands and their agencies when they want to understand how consumers react to new technologies. He has been a regular featured speaker at CES, Cannes Lions, Advertising Week and The PHM HealthFront™. He was born and raised in Silicon Valley when Apple's campus was mostly apricots.
Expertise Automotive technology, smart home, digital health. Credentials
  • 5G Technician, ETA International
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Brian Cooley
Watch this: How To: Take back your privacy from the data brokers

Data brokers, data harvesters, people finders: whatever you call them, they roll up a huge amount of real and deduced information about you to create a dossier on your life that anyone can buy or even browse for free. While the nuggets of information about you are already out there, the way these sites aggregate it makes a lot of people feel very invaded. Watch this video to see how you can opt out, to a degree, then use the links below to start taking back your privacy.

Opt-out tools:

Spokeo
PeopleSmart
Pipl
Peek You (e-mail link): Include the PeekYou.com address of your profile to have it suppressed.
ZabaSearch
Intelius: Fax a copy of your driver's license or state ID card with photo and document number crossed out to 425-974-6194. ZoomInfo: Search your name under people search, then click on the "Forward" link at the top of your profile. Your given e-mail address needs to match their e-mail address for you (if the site has it available). Fill out the required opt-out information, and send an e-mail to this address.