I am choosing to clean up my internet presence because my ex-husband has some people trying to find him. My sons and I regularly receive phone calls and emails regarding him. We've told these "callers" to not call us again but they continue. The best remedy is to go to the source where they are getting our information.
- Deleting your data from a public search database doesn't make it inaccessible—just less easy to access.
- Those are always the risks you take when using the internet or registering anything on any website.
- Steps to remove data differ depending on the site, some of which include Radaris, USA People Search, Whitepages, 411.com, Private Eye, and Intelius.
How to remove your personal information from the internet.
This has a good selection of places that might have your name, family members listed, address, and phone number. I actually just found an old one from 2012 when I was in marketing and had my own little business.
It's easy to do - just time-consuming. You don't have to be tech-savvy. You go to each site, enter your name and city and if you come up - there is a place where you can "opt-out" and have them delete your personal information. It's not hard and you should check once a year. That's why I do it in January.
Or you can pay to have it done for a price.
These places are also a source from which many of the telephone scam calls come from and junk mail. I found that Classmates.com and even Ancestry sell our information to 3rd parties. I have opted out of Classmates. I joined that Years Ago - but just deleting my account did not delete my information and there for all the world to see, were all the schools I went to. Next, I will contact Ancestry. I've been with them since 2006.
For me, it is unsettling to find my information on the internet. Some of these sites list my son's name, and both husbands - as well as my parents who have been dead since 2007/2008. I'm not afraid or fearful - just being proactive and smart and taking steps to ensure my personal information stays personal.
Back to Regular Programming.
Susie last night on my lap - she is such a HUNK. Those of you with cats - do you ever play cat videos on YouTube for them to watch? Susie once a day, tunes into her favorite "show" of birds and squirrels and critters. If I wasn't using my cell phone - I'd video her - it's absolutely adorable.
This is one of her favorites.
Then there are our birds. We put in a garden window years ago just for Susie. She eats her food there and can lie down and watch the birds. She's pretty used to them but the doves always get her excited if they move too close to the window.
I told my husband we need more bird feeders - We have 2 in the front not counting the hummingbird feeder and in the back we have 2 feeders and 2 hummingbird feeders. You can tell it was a dreary day when I took this photo.
Have a great Sunday.
‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all …
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all …
Emily Dickinson
