- Source: DeleteMe
DeleteMe is a privacy service founded in 2010.
History
DeleteMe was founded by Rob Shavell, Eugene Kuznetsov, and Andrew Sudbury in 2010. It is now an online privacy service provided by Abine.
Platform
DeleteMe uses a user's personal details to reach out to data brokers through both automated methods and human intervention, requesting the removal of user data.
The DeleteMe platform can be accessed through a dashboard that displays updates on tracked data brokers, record reviews, and the current status of user data across various broker platforms. This dashboard also features graphical representations of data management over time. Users can also report unrecognized data brokers via the service's dashboard. In alignment with the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020, when DeleteMe identifies a new broker, users are notified and asked for permission to opt out from that broker.
Reception
In 2018, DeleteMe was reviewed by Steven Petrow of USA Today. In 2021, DeleteMe was reviewed by Neil J. Rubenking of PCMag.
In 2024, a Consumer Reports study found that DeleteMe removed 27% of results from 13 tested people-search sites within 4 months of sign-up, compared to 70% for manual removals. Among similar services tested, DeleteMe was described as a "midlevel" performer. Consumer reports commented on DeleteMe's privacy policy, which allows for the sale or transfer of user data in the event of a business transaction, saying "Some privacy-minded subscribers might not want their information to be used this way."
