It's kind of concerning when you think about it—your personal information staying online forever can be a bit scary, right?💭
I often hear things like, "I have old accounts I don't use anymore, but I don't know how to delete them..." or "Weird information about me is showing up on people-search sites!"🥺
So this time, I've put together recommended digital footprint erasure tools and services you can use in 2025✨
Start with What You Can Do Yourself
Honestly, completely removing your information from the internet is difficult, but you can still make an effort to reduce it as much as possible🧠
- Delete unnecessary SNS and service accounts (Leaving them inactive increases the risk of information leaks!)
- Use search engines like Google's "Search result removal request" feature (Great for misinformation and outdated info)
- Submit direct removal requests to "people-search sites" and "data brokers" that have your personal information (They might be slow to respond, but be persistent💪)
What Kind of Useful Tools & Services Are Available?
As of 2025, they roughly fall into these categories👀
1. Commercial Data Removal Services
-
DeleteMe
Originated overseas but covers a wide range of Japanese personal information too. They handle deletion of various information on your behalf✨
It costs money, but it significantly reduces the hassle, which makes it popular👍 -
Jumbo Privacy
A smartphone app that also lets you check privacy settings for SNS and online services.
They provide deletion support too, making it easy to use🥰
2. Open Source & Privacy-Focused Tools
-
BleachBit
A tool that can delete unnecessary files and logs from your computer. While it doesn't directly remove online information, it ensures no local traces remain✨
It's a bit technical, so you might need to study a little to use it. -
Privacy Badger / uBlock Origin
These aren't for direct deletion, but they're browser extensions to prevent future information leaks. They block ads and tracking🛡️
Which is Better? Commercial vs Open Source
Hmm, from actual experience, I've realized that "it's almost impossible to completely delete everything yourself"😳
So basically:
- If you hate hassle & want it done reliably → Commercial services
- If you enjoy trying things yourself & are particularly privacy-conscious → Open source options
That's my take💡
Tips for Maintaining Long-Term Effectiveness
Even after you delete information, new data can appear elsewhere, so regular checking is important📌
- Search for yourself periodically
- Consider whether you really need new accounts
- Review your privacy settings frequently
I think having this awareness of managing your digital footprint is what works best🌸
It might feel a bit challenging, but I think starting with "reducing it little by little when you notice something" is the realistic approach💭
After that, make good use of trustworthy services to protect your online self💗
Hatena
Comments
リリー
20 years' worth of data and leaks can't be completely erased, and they might still be stored in old advertising agencies' offline archives. If it's really important, you might need to change your name and phone number and move.
ロバート
Internet information lasts forever, but first, it's good to delete all your SNS accounts. Over time, information can fade away too.
キンバリー
There's a service called [Redact](http://redact.dev) that can bulk delete your SNS activity.
グレース
If you have a long internet history, it's probably almost impossible to erase all traces.
ハンナ
If you organize the accounts that show up when you Google your name, you can reduce issues with casual stalkers or job application checks.
クリス
But you definitely can't delete all old posts, and sometimes you can still find old Usenet posts.
ジョージ
Even if you remove information from Google, it remains on archive.org, in archives saved by others, and on the dark web, so perfection is impossible, but you can clean up the surface level.
ミア
I use a service called EasyOptout—it costs about $20 per year and works pretty well.
レオ
If you have an unusual name, you could create fake profiles with the same name to make hard-to-delete information less noticeable.
ジャック
Remind me in 3 days.
キンバリー
Tell me more—if you're an EU citizen, there are tools that automate GDPR requests too.
ロバート
I've tried various things, and Cloaked's data deletion was effective—my spam emails decreased dramatically within a few weeks.
