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> You're telling me that to remove my info I have to essentially give (through your service) all these companies & data brokers my info so they can opt me out,

> You're telling me that to remove my info I have to essentially give (through your service) all these companies & data brokers my info so they can opt me out, and actually trust them that they'll do so? Other people raised that concern when this appeared on HN (https://news.ycombinator.com/context?id=27668140 https://news.ycombinator.com/context?id=27668140), and at the time, that’s indeed what the service did. Even if one ignores intentional misuse, simple incompetence by a data broker seems like enough to cause a problem. It only takes one data broker to commingle fields from opt-out requests with existing data (and then share/sell/trade that existing data) for the opt-out fields to spread.

beyondd 5y ago
That's certainly one way to look at it. Another way to look at it is that if you do nothing, you information will continue to persist, multiply, and propagate unchecked. Those that take the time (or money) to remove the profiles, have dramatically reduced online footprints, which is why these types of services are becoming more and more popular. Many companies are starting to mandate their employees use services like ours to strengthen their security posture to reduce exposure to phishing, hacking, email spam, etc.
- troydavis 5y ago
  I’m all for spending the time or money to remove my profile. I’d rather also spend a little extra time to see where I’m listed and evaluate that organization, though.
- fleetwoodsnack 5y ago
  > you[sic] information will continue to persist, multiply, and propagate unchecked Based on how the underlying problem is presented in your own business model, it seems like this will happen regardless of whether a customers uses this service or not. Like conscripting a recruit into a losing battle (and arguably an unwinnable war) at cost to oneself with little specificity as to what qualifies as success.
- estaseuropano 5y ago
  Can you give an example of a company that mandates this?

beyondd 5y ago

That's certainly one way to look at it. Another way to look at it is that if you do nothing, you information will continue to persist, multiply, and propagate unchecked. Those that take the time (or money) to remove the profiles, have dramatically reduced online footprints, which is why these types of services are becoming more and more popular. Many companies are starting to mandate their employees use services like ours to strengthen their security posture to reduce exposure to phishing, hacking, email spam, etc.

troydavis 5y ago
I’m all for spending the time or money to remove my profile. I’d rather also spend a little extra time to see where I’m listed and evaluate that organization, though.
fleetwoodsnack 5y ago
> you[sic] information will continue to persist, multiply, and propagate unchecked Based on how the underlying problem is presented in your own business model, it seems like this will happen regardless of whether a customers uses this service or not. Like conscripting a recruit into a losing battle (and arguably an unwinnable war) at cost to oneself with little specificity as to what qualifies as success.
estaseuropano 5y ago
Can you give an example of a company that mandates this?