🌴113. Delete yourself from the internet

Last night I stumbled across an article in the Wall Street Journal called “Go Delete Yourself from the Internet. Seriously. Here’s How.” Naturally, I clicked. And wow. It introduced me to a tool from Google I’d never heard of before: 👉 myactivity.google.comHere’s what I learned (and what happened when I used it):You plug in your details (yep, including your home address — bit ironic, I know)It scans the internet for mentions of your personal infoA few hours later, you get a reportMine showed 31 results (mostly just my public email — nothing scary!)From there, you can review and request removalsWhy should you care? Because your personal data can be used for:Identity theftImpersonation scamsDoxxingOr just getting bombarded with junkEven if you’re comfortable sharing online (like I am), it’s worth knowing what’s floating out there.🛑 BONUS: I also share other services like DeleteMe and OptOut that offer paid removal if things get overwhelming.This isn’t about hiding. It’s about knowing. And having a sense of control in a world where our data is constantly up for grabs.Links mentioned:myactivity.google.comNicole Nguyen’s WSJ article (may be behind a paywall)Questions for reflection:When was the last time you Googled yourself with intention?Would you be comfortable if a stranger had your home address and birthday?How do you currently protect your digital identity — or are you winging it?Pre-order my new book WORK FAME and get featured on the Wall of Work FameSign up for free for my best articles every week: Work Fame.Show notes for every episode at https://podcast.leannehughes.comLet's connect on all the channels:Leanne Hughes on LinkedInLeanne Hughes on InstagramVisit my website: leannehughes.comEmail me: [email protected] you like to deliver your own private podcast feed to your audience? Sign up for a free trial today at Hello Audio.