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Launch HN: Optery (YC W22) – Remove your personal info from the internet

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Re: Launch HN: Optery (YC W22) – Remove your personal info from the internet

#141

What a nifty startup. I love the idea of using software to make it more difficult to sell my personal information. I'm not sure why I care enough to pay, but after reading this post, I do, and I signed up. (I'm awaiting my report and will probably upgrade after reading it.)

But this seems to be neither software nor does it actually make it more difficult to sell data. Its a servive that sends opt out requests for you. As far as I can see there is no legal value to this, nor is this sustainable - the next scrape and you're back in. There is (obviously) no guarantee that you data won't be sold, nor any guarantee that their opt out requests don't become basically a signal for 'this is a re…

Optery is opt out software. It uses a custom search technology to locate profiles being exposed and sold by data brokers online. It then automates the submissions and communications necessary to execute opt out requests to have the information removed. It monitors (re-scans), and re-submits and manages opt out requests as necessary on an ongoing basis when new profiles pop back up again. Optery is continually adding support for more and more data brokers.

Re: Launch HN: Optery (YC W22) – Remove your personal info from the internet

#142
post #4
post #2

If they are yet another data broker with a novel phishing pitch, giving them your info just adds it to one more list among many. If they're legit, they could lower the spam volume by a few decibels. Seems like a reasonable risk/benefit ratio.

I think this company itself is legit, at least for now, but the risk is that they'll forward this info to 200+ data brokers to "opt-out" - would you really trust them to actually opt you out, as opposed to opt you in (if you weren't already in there) and silently set a flag saying this person is of even more interest? If they can tell that the opt-out request comes from such a service, this increases the value of you…

There are a lot of reasons why people submit opt outs beyond whether or not they can pay, e.g. victims of domestic violence, police officers, court order, public figures, government officials, members of the military, etc. The data brokers are aware of this and generally have processes to accommodate the requests.

If you do nothing, your information will continue to persist, multiply, and propagate unchecked. Those that take the time (or money) to remove the profiles, have dramatically reduced online footprints, which is why services like Optery are becoming more and more popular. Many companies are starting to mandate their employees use services like this to strengthen their security posture to reduce exposure to phishing, hacking, email spam, etc. Similar to being required to use a VPN or MFA at work to protect the security of the company.

Re: Launch HN: Optery (YC W22) – Remove your personal info from the internet

#143
post #82

If anyone's interested in alternatives, one of their main competitors, Removaly, openly maintains a list of all the players in the field: https://removaly.com/category/comparisons/ Both Removaly and Optery are pretty solid, but if you want something your friends and family can actually afford, then nothing beats EasyOptOuts. $20 a year and they're pretty good at what they do. The only catch is that while services lik…

Optery covers 200+ data brokers, whereas Removaly only covers 51 data brokers per their web site. Optery’s average scan results find 70+ profiles exposed and often top 100+ profiles exposed (scans are free by the way). Removaly is more comparable to Abine’s DeleteMe service whose “Sites We Remove From” page states they only cover 38 data brokers. In world where Optery is finding 70 – 100 exposed profiles on a first s…

I saw this thread from the get go, but wanted to leave it alone out of courtesy to you guys. Though it seems that Removaly has been mentioned a few times (and now directly) so I'm jumping in here...

First, we at Removaly like what Optery is bringing to the table as far as data removal. We've written about this in our comparison article on our website (https://removaly.com/optery-vs-removaly/), but there are some distinct differences, and the number of sites isn't the only one so they're worth mentioning:

Optery does scan and remove from more sites, that's true. That said, at Removaly we are removing from (what we believe to be) the 50+ most popular data brokers that people find themselves on and the vast majority of them are ones that people will see when they Google for their name. We're also expanding the number of sites we cover on a regular basis so that number will continue to grow.

It's worth noting that there are sites that Optery covers that do not have records that are indexed by Google (i.e. try searching 'site:UnitedStatesPhonebook.com' on Google which shows 42 pages indexed, and that's a site Optery covers on their highest plan). So while someone might be on a site like this, this particular example isn't one that someone would easily find by Googling your name. The argument then would be "Yes, but it's still important in case someone searches that site." True, but to that I would say there are data brokers that Optery does not cover so even with an Optery plan you still run into the same issue.

Another difference, Removaly is also the only service right now with DAILY scans, which means we can find and remove things much quicker than any of the other services once it reappears (which it will) and we're 100% US-based if that's important to you.

On top of that, Removaly keeps things simple by only offering one plan. Meaning there isn't an option/upsell to 2 higher plans like you see on Optery. Some common sites like CheckPeople and others are all included in the Removaly ~$119/year plan while Optery you'd have to upgrade to the $24.99/month (~$300/year) plan in order to get that opted out. It's a good point though about how someone could upgrade momentarily and then downgrade, however, if someone has their information on 70-100 sites, does Optery guarantee removal of all of that information in the first 30 days? That may be an additional thing to consider.

Another benefit of Removaly would be that we offer a 2-person (~$179/year) and family plan (~$239/year) to cover all family members in the same household at a steep discount. Optery is now offering 20-25% off depending on how many people you add (as has been mentioned and is nice), but at $9.95-24.95/month PER PERSON that adds up quickly (I'll let you do the math on that).

Last thing I'll mention is that Removaly also offers the whole "Custom Removals" thing just like the other players do and it's included with our normal plan (Optery it appears to only be available on the highest plan).

For any company you decide to go with, there's going to be a give and take of features, functionality, support, pricing, etc. At Removaly we're trying to put out a solid product, with exceptional customer support, at a reasonable price that is going to fit the needs of "most" individuals.

Again, we at Removaly appreciate what Optery is doing and we're glad to see other providers wanting to offer transparency and a solid service in the industry that desperately needs it. Hopefully my thoughts clarify things / add some additional insight that might be helpful to people comparing our two companies.

All the best,

Kyle Krzeski Co-founder | Removaly

Re: Launch HN: Optery (YC W22) – Remove your personal info from the internet

#144

Looks interesting. What makes Optery different than several existing services that do the same thing?

When comparing data removal services like DeleteMe, Optery, PrivacyBee, Removaly, OneRep, LifeLock, The Kanary, and Reputation Defender, you should:

1) Sign up for each company’s free scan and compare the results. The quality of each company’s free scan is a good indicator of the quality of its opt outs. If the company can’t produce a free scan, they probably shouldn’t be taken seriously. A lot of the companies in the space have incredible marketing that creates high hopes, but their products are actually very disappointing and ineffective. The quality of the free scan is usually a tip off if the service is going to be a hero or a dud before you turn over your credit card. Optery’s free scans produce an average of 70+ results per person (sometimes over 100+ results). I’m not aware of any other company coming anywhere close to that number. Most don’t even cover that many data brokers to begin with. You can learn more about the Optery Exposure Report (free scan) here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVUmjbOG9vY

2) Check the number of data brokers each service covers. Optery covers 200+ data brokers. Whereas, according to their web sites, DeleteMe covers 38, Removaly covers 47, and OneRep covers 94. Some companies don’t even list the data brokers they cover (that's a bad sign). Also, check to see if the company offers “Custom Removals” for when you find a data broker that their service does not cover. Optery provides Custom Removals, and here’s the full list of data brokers covered:

https://www.optery.com/pricing/#data-brokers-we-cover

3) Check to see where the company is headquartered and primarily based, and if it is being run as a corporation, or as someone’s side-hustle. A lot of people are surprised when they find out that OneRep is headquartered in Belarus, since they maintain an LLC, mailing address and a few employees in the U.S.A. Do some background research on each company and its leadership team before you give them any money. Where are they based? Are they professional? Can you take them seriously? Do they have financial partnerships with data brokers? Many of the companies in the space do not list their leadership team on their web site. This is often because the business is being run as a side-hustle for someone with a day job, sometimes from a different country. Optery is incorporated in the state of Delaware as a C Corporation, and is headquartered in California. You can learn more about the company’s mission and leadership here:

https://www.optery.com/about-us/

4) Ensure you are not inadvertently funding the very data brokers you’re trying to be removed from. Most of the companies in the space are high integrity companies with no ties or financial arrangements with the data broker industry. But some are not. OneRep and BrandYourself (parent company of Zoro Privacy and HelloPrivacy) are known for having ties into the data broker through affiliate partnerships. For example, here’s a screenshot of the data broker ClustrMaps directing you to their affiliate partner OneRep after your opt out is complete. Avoid these companies unless you want to fund the very companies you're trying to be removed from.

https://imgur.com/a/juSC66b

5) Demand evidence in the form of screen shots or direct links. Most of these companies will tell you your profiles have been removed, and force you to take their word for it. Optery is the only company I am aware of that provides direct links to your profiles so you can verify at the source when a profile is removed, and also sends out a quarterly “Removals Report” with before and after screen shots proving the work that’s been done. You can also use Optery’s free Exposure Report and links to double-check the work of any other service to keep them honest.

6) Check to see if the service offers monthly and yearly billing options. Optery offers both, but many other services only offer yearly billing.

7) Review the company’s guarantee. Optery provides a 30 day no questions asked money back guarantee.

https://help.optery.com/en/article/how-does-your-30-day-mone...

8) Don’t put too much weight in the reviews you read online. The sad reality is that a large percentage of them are bought or just written using fake accounts by the company’s employees or founders to try to influence you or game their rankings in search engines. This is why my #1 recommendation is to sign up for a free scan to start vetting the company’s product yourself.

Re: Launch HN: Optery (YC W22) – Remove your personal info from the internet

#145
post #24

How do you compare to OneRep?

OneRep covers ~100 data brokers. Optery covers ~200 data brokers.

OneRep has affiliate partnerships with data brokers (https://imgur.com/a/juSC66b). Optery does not have any affiliate partnerships with any data brokers.

OneRep is based in Belarus. Optery is based in the USA.

Optery provides a free Exposure Report with screen shots of all the places your profile has been found online. If you already use another service like OneRep, use Optery’s free Exposure Report to double-check their work and you’ll probably be surprised by how many profiles Optery finds (20 – 40 on average). For paying customers, Optery provides Removals Reports with before and after screenshots to prove its work. No other service I'm aware of provides this level of verification.

If you want to compare services, the best thing to do is to sign up for each company’s free scan and compare the results. The quality of each company’s free scan is a good indicator of the quality of its opt outs. A lot of the companies in the space have incredible marketing that creates high hopes, but their products are ineffective. The quality of the free scan is usually a tip off if the service is going to be a hero or a dud before you turn over your credit card. Optery’s free scans produce an average of 70+ results per person (sometimes over 100+ results). I’m not aware of any other company coming anywhere close to that number. Most don’t even cover that many data brokers to begin with.

Re: Launch HN: Optery (YC W22) – Remove your personal info from the internet

#146

How does this differ from Abine’s DeleteMe service?

DeleteMe covers 38 data brokers (https://joindeleteme.com/sites-we-remove-from/). Optery covers 200+ data brokers (https://www.optery.com/pricing/#data-brokers-we-cover)

Optery provides a free Exposure Report with screen shots of all the places your profile has been found online. If you already use another service like Abine’s DeleteMe, use Optery’s free Exposure Report to double-check their work and you’ll probably be surprised by how many profiles Optery finds (20 – 40 on average). For paying customers, Optery provides Removals Reports with before and after screenshots to prove its work. At the time of this writing, DeleteMe does not provide screen shot evidence of their removals work.

If you want to compare services, the best thing to do is to sign up for each company’s free scan and compare the results. The quality of each company’s free scan is a good indicator of the quality of its opt outs. A lot of the companies in the space have incredible marketing that creates high hopes, but their products are ineffective. The quality of the free scan is usually a tip off if the service is going to be a hero or a dud before you turn over your credit card. Optery’s free scans produce an average of 70+ results per person that can be verified visually through screen shots (sometimes over 100+ results). I’m not aware of any other company coming anywhere close to that number. Most don’t even cover that many data brokers to begin with.

Re: Launch HN: Optery (YC W22) – Remove your personal info from the internet

#147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Optery covers 200+ data brokers, whereas Removaly only covers 51 data brokers per their web site. Optery’s average scan results find 70+ profiles exposed and often top 100+ profiles exposed (scans are free by the way). Removaly is more comparable to Abine’s DeleteMe service whose “Sites We Remove From” page states they only cover 38 data brokers. In world where Optery is finding 70 – 100 exposed profiles on a first s…

I saw this thread from the get go, but wanted to leave it alone out of courtesy to you guys. Though it seems that Removaly has been mentioned a few times (and now directly) so I'm jumping in here... First, we at Removaly like what Optery is bringing to the table as far as data removal. We've written about this in our comparison article on our website ( https://removaly.com/optery-vs-removaly/ ), but there are some di…

To compare Removaly and Optery, the best thing to do is to sign up for each company’s free scan and compare the results. The quality of a data removal company’s free scan is a good indicator of the quality of its opt outs. A lot of the companies in the space have incredible marketing that creates high hopes, but their products are ineffective. The quality of the free scan is usually a tip off if the service is going to be a winner or a let-down before you turn over your credit card. Optery’s free scans produce an average of 70+ results per person (sometimes over 100+ results). I’m not aware of any other company coming anywhere close to that number.

Like Abine’s DeleteMe, it does not look like Removaly offers a monthly billing option. Optery offers monthly or yearly billing options. If you’re really price sensitive, you could run the Optery Ultimate plan for a few months and then cancel, and likely have much better coverage than had you purchased an annual plan from Removaly or DeleteMe.

Optery also offers the strongest 30-day no questions asked money back guarantee: https://help.optery.com/en/article/how-does-your-30-day-mone...

Re: Launch HN: Optery (YC W22) – Remove your personal info from the internet

#148

16 years ago, my first Bay Area engineering job was at Reputation Defender. I helped create their first product - the EXACT same thing it looks like Optery is making. Make no mistake, the company was named "reputation defender" but it was optery. Even in 2006, the problem was the same and the solution seems roughly the same. Reputation Defender rebranded a few times. I don't think they have this feature anymore. Migh…

16 years ago there were no privacy laws and very little public awareness and enforcement for privacy, so it was easy for data brokers to ignore removal requests and they operated largely unchecked. But a lot has changed since 2006. Real privacy laws are being enacted, the public has become outraged, and several lawsuits have been prosecuted against data brokers successfully.

This has led data brokers to taking opt out requests much more seriously, with most of them investing in real technical infrastructure to handle and process opt outs successfully. Until the CCPA was passed, there was not even a standard requirement for a data broker to even have an opt out page.

Today, if you Google the name of someone using a data removal service like Optery, versus the name of someone that does not, you will see a night and day difference in the number of listings in Google from data brokers. Without Optery, you’ll find dozens of data broker listings with current and past home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, age, family members names, etc. With Optery, that information will be almost impossible to find making bad actors much more likely to move on to the next person who has not taken steps to protect their privacy.

Re: Launch HN: Optery (YC W22) – Remove your personal info from the internet

#149
post #90

I'm parroting the concerns raised by istjohn. Why in the world would you make it seem like a free user's exposures are was higher than they likely actually are to increase conversion opportunities. Why not provide stronger and better opt out guides like Removaly does if you're sincerely trying to help others instead of increasing conversion opportunities to pay back your VC funders?

Optery provides fantastic opt out guides with more on the way here:

https://www.optery.com/opt-out-guides/

To compare Removaly and Optery, the best thing to do is to sign up for each company’s free scan and compare the results. The quality of a data removal company’s free scan is a good indicator of the quality of its opt outs. A lot of the companies in the space have incredible marketing that creates high hopes, but their products are ineffective. The quality of the free scan is usually a tip off if the service is going to be a winner or a let-down before you turn over your credit card. Optery’s free scans produce an average of 70+ results per person (sometimes over 100+ results). I’m not aware of Removaly or any other company coming anywhere close to that number.

Re: Launch HN: Optery (YC W22) – Remove your personal info from the internet

#150

Do you provide any kind of guarantee (perhaps an optional one, at the user's request) that you will delete/scrub any & all data you gather from/about a user at any particular point in time (say, after you're finished opting out everywhere, or after they delete their account)? Or will you keep that data indefinitely? i.e. (how) can you assure users that this isn't yet another business actually trying to collect their…

Optery's Policy States: "To delete your personal information. If you want it to be removed from our systems, you should delete your account from the Login & Security section of your Account page and all of the information we hold about you will be destroyed. If you make this request, we will delete the personal information we hold about you as of the date of your request from our records and direct any service providers to do the same. In some cases, deletion may be accomplished through de-identification of the information."

https://www.optery.com/privacy-policy/

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