Everything You Need to Know About Online Data Exposure

Right now, over 4,000 companies are selling your name, address, phone number, relatives, employer, and daily habits to anyone willing to pay. You didn't sign up for this. Here's how it works — and what you can do about it.

Check your exposure free →
4,000+
Data brokers operating in the US
50–100+
Broker profiles per average American
30–90 days
Before removed data reappears
74%
Of Americans unaware their data is sold

New here? Start with these three.

Read them in order for a quick crash course on data brokers and what to do about them.

1 Learn
What is a data broker?
Who these companies are and why they exist
Read article → 12 min
→
2 Discover
What information do they have?
The personal data they collect and sell about you
Read article → 12 min
→
3 Take action
How to remove yourself
Step-by-step guide to getting your data deleted
Read article → 14 min

Browse by Topic

Guides, explainers, and actionable walkthroughs organized by what you need to know.

What Are Data Brokers?

Understand the companies buying and selling your personal data — who they are, what they do, and how they differ.

4 articles

How It Works

The mechanics behind data collection, aggregation, and the billion-dollar industry built on your personal information.

5 articles

The Risks

Real-world consequences of data exposure — from spam calls to identity theft to physical safety threats.

4 articles

What You Can Do

Step-by-step guides to finding, removing, and preventing your data from being sold online.

5 articles

Legal & Policy

Your rights under state and federal law, and where data broker regulation is heading.

2 articles

Broker-Specific Removal Guides

Step-by-step opt-out walkthroughs for the most common data brokers. Find your broker, follow the guide, remove your data.

17 guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the most common questions about data brokers and online privacy.

Are data brokers legal?
Mostly yes. There is no comprehensive federal law regulating data brokers in the United States. A handful of states — California, Vermont, Texas, and a few others — have passed laws requiring data brokers to register or give you the right to delete your data. But in most states, aggregating and selling personal information is legal. Read our full explainer.
Can I make data brokers delete my information?
Yes, but it takes effort. Most data brokers offer an opt-out process where you can request removal of your profile. The catch: each broker has a different process, there are hundreds of them, and your data typically reappears within 30–90 days as new data sources re-populate your profile. See our removal guide.
How did my information end up online?
Data brokers collect from public records (voter registration, property deeds, court filings), social media profiles, retail purchase data, app SDKs, surveys, and other brokers. Your data has likely passed through multiple companies before reaching a people-search site. Learn how they get your data.
Do data brokers sell to scammers?
Not intentionally — but the effect is similar. People-search sites make your personal data available to anyone for a few dollars. Scammers use this information to craft convincing phishing attacks, impersonate you, or target you with phone fraud. The data doesn't need to be "sold to scammers" when it's sold to everyone.
How often does data come back after removal?
Typically 30–90 days. Data brokers re-ingest from the same sources that populated your profile originally. This is why one-time removal isn't enough — ongoing monitoring and re-removal is necessary to keep your information offline.
Does deleting social media help?
It reduces one data source, but most broker data comes from public records and purchase data — not social media. Deleting your Facebook profile won't remove your address from Spokeo or your phone number from Whitepages. It helps at the margin, but direct broker opt-outs are what actually moves the needle.
Can I sue a data broker?
In some states, yes. California's CCPA/CPRA provides a private right of action for data breaches, and some state privacy laws allow lawsuits for violations. However, suing over the mere act of data brokering is difficult because most of the data they collect is technically public. See laws by state.
What is the difference between a data broker and a credit bureau?
Credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) are regulated under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). They must let you dispute inaccurate information and can only share your data for specific purposes like lending decisions. Data brokers face no such requirements — they sell to anyone, and have no obligation to verify accuracy.
Do VPNs protect against data brokers?
No. VPNs hide your IP address from websites, but data brokers don't rely on your IP. They use public records, purchase data, app telemetry, and other offline sources. A VPN is a useful privacy tool for other reasons, but it won't keep your name and address off people-search sites.
Is my data on the dark web?
Possibly, if you've been part of a data breach. But for most people, the more immediate problem is the open web — your personal information is publicly listed on dozens of data broker sites that anyone can access without any hacking. Compare dark web vs. data brokers.
How long does removal take?
It varies by site. Some brokers process opt-outs within 24 hours. Others take up to 45 days (the maximum allowed under California's CCPA). Most fall somewhere in between — 3 to 14 days is typical. The real time investment is finding your listings across hundreds of sites and submitting individual opt-out requests to each one.
Can anyone look me up on a people-search site?
Yes. Most people-search sites show basic information (name, city, age) for free and charge $1–30 for full reports including addresses, phone numbers, relatives, and more. No verification of identity or purpose is required. Learn more about people-search sites.

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