Get Your Data Back!! How To Opt Out & Remove My Information From Spokeo
Last Updated on February 7, 2025 by Rhea CabalidaBack then, people used directories and phonebooks to locate people or access some of their information. Now, everything can be done online. Instead of those big bulky books, we now easily stalk someone on social media. And if we can’t find anything on their accounts, some people use data broker sites like Spokeo.
Modern Directories - Stalking Made Easy
Spokeo and similar platforms allow people to access their information by availing themselves of their services. While sites like this are helpful in certain situations, they can also be taken advantage of by those who might want to use your information for the wrong purposes.
Now, Spokeo has a massive library, and they have data about millions of people around the world. There’s a pretty high chance that your information is included there.
As I mentioned, some might use your information in wrongdoings, so if you want to avoid this and remove your data from Spokeo, this is the page for you. Below, we created the full guide on how to opt out of Spokeo and included some tips that can help you secure your private information. Read on!
➡️ We also have a tutorial on how to opt out from TruthFinder and how to remove your info from Radaris.
In this article
A Deep Dive Into Spokeo’s Operations
Spokeo is one of the biggest search engines on the web. It has a massive library that contains billions of information about various people all over the world.
By just providing someone's name, email, phone number, and address, Spokeo will be able to provide different information about a certain person.
Strangers will have access to your:
- Location History
- Current Contact Information
- Family & Associates
- Social Media Accounts
- Criminal Records, etc.
These are only the basic information that a person can get from the platform. If you avail of an upgraded subscription, you can access a more detailed report.
How does Spokeo Work?
With platforms such as Spokeo, everyone can know private details about you, but how can the platform do this? How does it work and is it even legal?
Well, according to Wikipedia, Spokeo uses deep web crawlers to aggregate data. Deep web crawlers collect publicly available data from sites.
Other sources have also stated that Spokeo uses the data available on your social media accounts, public/government records, and data collected by third-party sites.
The site also deals with data brokers. Brokers sell data to sites like Spokeo and TruthFinder, the data that these brokers collect is from sites you interact with (data is collected by enabling cookies) and subscriptions.
➡️ Click here to learn more about how Spokeo collects and handles your data.
All this information is then organized into a certain format and is delivered into the database. When a person makes a query about you, this data will be presented to them.
Spokeo’s Legalities
Spokeo giving out your information to others may sound shady, but it is legal. Spokeo only uses data that are available to the public or data that you gave out with consent. Spokeo also abides by the following laws:
Freedom of Information Acts (FOIA): A U.S. federal law that provides the public with the right to request access to records from federal government agencies, FOIA is intended to promote transparency.
➡️ State and Local Transparency Laws - Many states require property, voter registration, and court records to be publicly accessible, allowing Spokeo and other platforms to obtain your data legally.
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA): Regulates the collection and use of consumer information for purposes such as credit checks, employment screening, and tenant background checks.
We dug deeper into Spokeo’s operation, and many sources, including Spokeo, have stated that they do not engage in hacking and stealing people's data, which is basically a good thing.
Is Spokeo Good or Bad?
There are times that we need to know someone's information, it may be because we have to relay an important thing to them, legal concerns, reach out to a long-lost relative, etc. In these cases, Spokeo and similar sites offer great help.
However, there will be people who will abuse the services offered by these sites. The info they can obtain can be used to harm you or steal from you. That is why, we truly understand if you wish to remove your information from Spokeo. If you want to know the whole process, read the next part.
How to Opt Out of Spokeo
Spokeo respects the rights you have to your information, which is why it included an opt out option to let people freely remove their data from the site. Follow the steps below to get started.
Step 1
First, go to Spokeo and search for your information. Enter your email, name, or phone number then hit the search button.
Step 2
After you locate the listing that contains your info, visit the Spokeo Opt Out page and fill out a form.
Step 3
Next, scroll down and paste the URL on the box, enter the email associated with your Spokeo account, and then tick the Opt Out button.
Step 4
You will receive a confirmation email, click the link attached to the message to proceed. After that, Spokeo will send an update within 24 to 48 hours that your information has been removed. After receiving the update, go back to the site and see if your listing has been erased.
Wait Up! Have You Read Spokeo’s Conditions?
On the opt out page, Spokeo stated the following:
Opting out your listing from Spokeo will not remove the data from its original source. Your information may still appear on other websites. Furthermore, you may have multiple listings on Spokeo. Each one is identified by a unique URL and must be opted out individually.
Since we continually receive new and updated records from public sources, your information may reappear on Spokeo in the future without notice. Please regularly check Spokeo for additional listings that may appear.
Even if you opt out from Spokeo, your data remains on the original sources. Also, your data will most likely re-appear on the site due to its continual update. This means that no matter how many times you opt out of Spokeo, it is all a waste of time.
To keep your information out of Spokeo and other platforms, you need to use third-party tools that have the ability to wipe out all the data you have on the web. Want to know more about this? Check out the next part.
DeleteMe - The #1 Solution to Remove Your Information from the Web
To completely remove the traces of your personal information on the web, we highly recommend using DeleteMe.
This platform offers reliable Automated Data Removal and ongoing data monitoring services which cover Spokeo and other similar platforms.
DeleteMe will not only opt out of your information from Spokeo, but it will also track other platforms that contain your data. All sources that have any type of information about you will be found and the DeleteMe team will erase the data from there. This will keep it from appearing on Spokeo and other people's search engines again.
And don’t worry, the team will continue to monitor if ever platforms will get a hold of your information again. And if that happens, they can report this to you and remove the data right away.
One of the things we love about DeleteMe is the simple process they offer. There’s no need to provide a bunch of information or go through a long process. The signup process only takes a few minutes, and the rest of the work will be taken care of by the DeleteMe team.
Once you avail of their services, you will receive regular updates regarding where your data was found and what type of information was deleted.
So don’t hassle yourself when it comes to claiming back your information, try out DeleteMe now!