May 18, 2026
Delete me, maybe?
I automated opt-outs for 500 data broker sites (open source)
A privacy hero built a one-click people-search scrubber, and the crowd instantly asked: genius or trap
TLDR: A developer released a Mac tool that automatically files removal requests with hundreds of people-search sites to help stop spam and data exposure. Commenters were split between calling it a privacy lifesaver and joking that it might just hand your latest details to the very sites you’re trying to escape.
A developer dropped an open-source tool called auto-identity-remove that tries to wipe your personal details from 500+ people-search and data broker sites on a monthly schedule. In plain English: it searches those creepy lookup websites for your name, files the removal request, skips sites you already handled recently, and even texts you when it’s done. It can solve those annoying “prove you’re human” puzzles too, which made plenty of readers go, wait, this thing is doing all that automatically?
But the real action was in the comments, where applause immediately collided with paranoia. One camp loved the idea and basically said, finally, someone is fighting back against spam calls and data-hungry sites. Another camp hit the brakes hard with the most viral joke of the thread: isn’t this just a tool for sending your fresh, updated personal info to 500 websites all at once? Ouch. That suspicion became the hottest mini-drama, with readers questioning whether opt-out forms are actually privacy tools or sneaky data refresh forms in disguise.
There was also a practical pile-on: Is this only for Americans? Multiple commenters from outside the US wanted to know whether “name + state” means everyone else is out of luck. Others kept it simple and curious, asking what information the tool needs and whether it’s just a command-line app. Even the creator jumped in asking for help verifying which removals really work versus silently fail, giving the whole thing a slightly chaotic, crowdsourced energy: part privacy crusade, part public beta, part trust fall.
Key Points
- •The article describes an open-source macOS tool that automates monthly opt-out requests across 500+ data broker and people-search sites.
- •The workflow includes searching broker sites, matching listings, submitting opt-out forms, solving CAPTCHAs with optional CapSolver integration, and notifying users via iMessage.
- •The project requires macOS, Node.js 18+, and Playwright with Chromium, and setup is handled through an interactive `setup.js` script.
- •Personal data and opt-out history are stored locally in gitignored files, with `state.json` used to skip recently completed removals using a default 90-day re-check window.
- •The article lists more than 30 broker sites with automated support, including Spokeo, WhitePages, BeenVerified, Intelius, MyLife, and FamilyTreeNow.