Remove yourself from people search sites and erase your online presence

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Here is a step-by-step guide to reducing your digital footprint online, whether you want to lock down data or vanish entirely.

 

There is now a very thin line, easily broken, which separates our physical and digital identities.

 

Social networks have evolved from the days of MySpace to valuable, data-slurping machines that have information on everything from our friends and family to our voting habits.

 

When you apply for a new job, many employers will try to find and evaluate your social media presence to ascertain if you are a suitable candidate.

 

A misjudged tweet from years ago or an inappropriate Facebook photo can destroy future job prospects or ruin a career. A Google search that reveals an old conviction can make it more difficult to become hired, and -- whether true or not -- allegations of criminal conduct spread online can cause misery.

 

There's an idea that once something is online, it is immortal, immutable, and almost impossible to contain. Another way of saying this is that you should not put anything online you wouldn't want your grandmother to see, in case the consequences damage you or your prospects down the line.

 

However, keeping your digital information in check is not just about information that you put online. Monitoring the passive data collection conducted by companies from you is important, too.

 

However, a need to protect our privacy may be far more serious. Abuse, stalking, and bullying may also factor as reasons to erase our digital footprints.

 

If you want to take control of your privacy and online, here are some tips to get you started.

 

Not much time? Check out the abridged version below:

 

Read the the full article at the source.

 

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