Opting out: How to remove your personal info from online search sites

As technology advances, it can be harder and harder to protect your identity and personal information online.

There are dozens of websites available that disclose personal information like names, addresses, phone numbers, income, and information on relatives.

These sites use information that is publicly available, then they consolidate that info to make it easier to find. A lot of information is free on these sites, but some offer more in-depth information to anyone willing to pay a fee.

An ABC 11 viewer reached out to the Troubleshooter after she was surprised to see how much of her personal information was available on a people search site.

She wanted to know if there is a way to have it removed, and the good news is there is. Many popular people search sites do have an option to opt-out and have your information removed from search results, but they require users to follow specific steps.

You can click here for a list of some of the most popular people search sites and instructions on how to opt out of each site.