Importance of erasing personal data from the Internet

Over time, the Internet has become increasingly important in the lives of people and societies. Today, millions of people around the world use the Internet daily for various purposes. From looking for information or places to visit to working, shopping, contacting loved ones, among other things. This is what has led to more and more diverse sites that are visited, having to place different types of data and information in each of them. Data that remains submerged in the network and that can be taken, putting at risk both the security and the digital reputation of people or businesses. That's why, next, we will talk about the importance of erasing personal data from the Internet and how to do it.

The risk of personal data on the Internet

Although it may not be so obvious all the time, all of us are constantly leaving personal data on the Internet. An example to understand this can be the case of opening a subscription account on a network platform to watch movies or series. At first, it is necessary to send personal data, including data linked to payment methods. By doing this, personal data and card data, for example, may be left on the network and need to be properly protected.

But this example is not the only one we can find. Many times, whether through social network accounts or through browsing, we are giving certain permissions for access to our information. Including emails, names and surnames, dates of birth, location, workspace and profession, passwords, etc. This information remains on the network and it is very important to eliminate it or manage it in a way that guarantees your security so that it cannot be used by other people for malicious purposes.

How to erase personal data from the Internet?

Usually, when seeking to erase personal data from the Internet, the first steps are mainly focused on analyzing the digital journey of the particular person in terms of personal data. Ultimately, it is about making a detailed review of the various web pages, forums, social networks, emails and forms in which the person has been able to leave their personal data. Once this identification has been made in detail, you can begin to proceed with the request for the removal of each of these data.

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The right ARC

Something very important to bear in mind in this regard is that, in the cases of people who are European citizens, they always have the possibility of relying on ARCO rights (Access, Rectification, Cancellation and Opposition). Depending on the characteristics of each particular case. This is important because there are cases where search engines or social networks offer their own specific tools to exercise these personal data removal rights.

An example to understand this is taking the case that personal data may have been published in a digital newspaper. If this happens, the procedure will always consist of going directly to the newspaper. If you are a European citizen, you can request the application of privacy protection measures. However, it will be possible to erase personal data from the web without the need to delete it, through search engines. Thus, although the data will continue to exist, it will be possible to prevent it from appearing in the results.

Removal of all personal data on the Internet

One of the easiest ways to erase personal data from the Internet in its entirety is through a digital reputation agency that has the necessary knowledge and tools to do so, such as 202 Digital Reputation. What is done in these cases is to adopt a systematic approach, performing different techniques every week until the data disappears completely. Proceeding in this way can prevent unauthorized persons from accessing personal data, while also preventing data brokers from making a profit by selling this personal data to third parties without consent.