Techlore Talks Data Removal Services: A Costly Myth?
Aug 16, 2024
New research reveals that many data removal services are ineffective, urging consumers to choose wisely. The discussion highlights manual opt-out success rates and compares them to various services. Proton Wallet's launch sparks debates on privacy tools and its focus on Bitcoin. There's a warning about delistings of Monero and MobileCoin on Binance, along with best practices for maintaining privacy. Additionally, a bug in Microsoft Authenticator raises concerns, while Apple’s macOS Sequoia introduces features that may frustrate advanced users.
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People-Search Services Vary Widely
- Consumer Reports tested seven people-search removal services versus manual opt-outs and found manual opt-outs removed about 70% within a week.
- Most paid services performed worse and often took months to show results, revealing wide variability in effectiveness.
Report Needs Nuanced Reading
- The report's headline claim that services are ineffective is misleading; some providers matched manual opt-outs.
- The Consumer Reports team did manual opt-outs themselves, so real users might not achieve the same gold-standard result.
Combine Cheap Automation With Manual Follow-Up
- Consider low-cost options like Easy Opt-Outs for high value; it delivered strong results at a fraction of competitors' cost.
- Combine an inexpensive automated service with manual follow-ups or monitoring for best value.