In an increasingly digital and online world of ours, many of us are too young to have witnessed an offline existence. From interacting with our friends to buying groceries – nearly all of our actions are done through the internet.
Most of us don’t even think twice about registering accounts for digital services, or letting platforms know our details for a more customized and targeted experience. For digital marketing and sales, this information is gold. For online firms and platforms, they sell the gold.
The Great Data Broker Rush.
Knowledge is power and having a trove of information on netizens is a gold mine. This has been realized a long ago by internet services and have been gathering data, acting as brokers and selling to whoever is willing to pay the price.
The signup process alone has enough information on you to sell. Your age, gender, location, name, email address and even contact number – all of this is a basic requirement to register on any service. Ever wondered why Facebook, Google and the likes offer you free services? Why do you think you can have GBs worth of email inbox for free or watch videos from all over the world without paying the creators a bit?
Because for them, you are the product.
Worse still, many companies violate ethical and regulatory laws to gather data that we don’t even willingly hand over. Browsing habits, device information, recording sounds and even taking images are just a few of the things about us that are collected without our consent. Does this sound paranoid? Perhaps. But what more compelling argument than a 2016 post by Mark Zuckerberg that shows him covering his webcam and mic with tape!
Should I Be Worried?
It is better to be safe than sorry. Data brokers collect information and create profiles on netizens that are bought by a variety of different clients for different uses. Your information is valuable is for:
- Marketers: The least monovalent, marketing firms use your data to create a targeted (and often) intrusive advertising campaign to influence you to buy their product or services.
- Financial Institutions: Insurance companies, banks and other financial institutions prefer to know your money handling situation, credit scores, etc. so they can make better judgments on your loan applications, insurance premium and other aspects.
- Scammers: Swindling you out of your money is easy if scammers know you. From offering too good to be true investments to leveraging your desires, scammers are always on the hunt for their next prey.
- Identity Thieves: Basic information on you like your date of birth, name and social security is enough for cybercriminals to steal your identity and use it for their nefarious activities.
No matter how careful you are, just a tiny lapse and it is you who suffers.
Incogni Lets You Remove Your Information.
Incogni user dashboard
Information removal from these databases can be a pain. Finding data brokers is a hectic activity itself. The real problem begins with requesting them to delete your information. Complex forms, tactical delays and other hurdles are created to frustrate you and make you decide to stop the activity.
On the other hand, Incogni can help you remove your personal information from these data brokers through its completely automated process. Incogni requests all information on you on your behalf through a legal manner, which these data brokers are bound to reply to.
When necessary information surfaces, Incogni requests all of it to be deleted and removed so your personal information cannot be sold.
Found your contact details on TruthFinder, Intelius, Instant Checkmate, Spokeo or The US Search? Incogni removes personal data from the most popular people search sites too.
What’s more, with the subscription model, Incogni can repeatedly request all of the data brokers in its list for regular and updated information on you. Even if the data collectors acquire information on you from other or new sources, it is picked up by Incogni and followed up with a deletion request.
All Incogni requires is you to create an account and offer basic information on you or the person in question. Unlike other platforms that require your information to monetize, Incogni only requires this to match you on the databases. Once done, Incogni can start its automated and regular removal requests while you sit back and relax, knowing that your personal information is what it is: personal.
Take Advantage of the Annual Plan.
Incogni is offering an excellent opportunity to netizens. While its standard monthly plan stands at $11.49 per month with all of its services, people can take advantage of its annual plan with 50% off. The annual plan costs $69.48 per year, or $5.79 per month (billed annually).
The annual plan comes with the standard 30-day money-back guarantee with payments done through a secure and encrypted system.
The current services of Incogni are available for residents of US, UK, EU, Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic and Canadian nationals only.
