11 ways to delete or hide yourself from the internet - and protect your privacy

"A PC, mobile device, or even a smartwatch with an internet connection allows us to stay connected with friends and family, work, stay entertained, monitor our health and habits, and handle our finances. But benefits aside, how you represent yourself, and how others see you, on social media and other online platforms can have a real impact on your career prospects, reputation, and relationships."

"A misjudged tweet from years ago, an inappropriate Facebook photo tied to your name, an embarrassing video, or a controversial TikTok can have real-world consequences. That's not all: Marketers constantly invade your privacy by scraping publicly available information on you, your public profiles, and your search history for targeted marketing. You may also need to wipe the slate clean due to abuse or stalking."

"Google's search engine provides links and website addresses to users in response to search queries, but unless the right controls are in place, your search queries can be cataloged for marketing purposes. On the other hand, Google can also be used to uncover exactly what information about you is in the public domain. Not every search engine will reveal the same results. Try out other search engines, such as Bing, for a more compreh"

An individual's online footprint is larger than expected and persists despite deletion efforts. Connected devices collect and expose personal details across social interactions, work, entertainment, health monitoring, and finances. Public social media posts, photos, videos, or controversial content can damage career prospects, reputation, and relationships. Marketers routinely scrape publicly available profiles and search histories for targeted advertising. Some people may need to remove information because of abuse or stalking. Complete eradication of a digital footprint is often impossible, but specific, tested actions — beginning with comprehensive searches across multiple engines to discover public information — can help regain privacy and control.

Read at ZDNET