Hey there! Have you ever wondered just how much of your personal data is floating around out there – being bought, sold and traded by mysterious "data brokers"? Well let me tell you, it‘s a bit terrifying. But the good news is, there are tools like Incogni that can help you take back control of your privacy in the digital age.
In this comprehensive review, I‘ll tell you everything you need to know about Incogni in 2023 – and why it might just be your best bet against shady data brokers. Let‘s dive in!
The Data Broker Problem: Your Privacy Under Attack
I don‘t know about you, but I was shocked when I learned how many data brokers are out there compiling detailed dossiers on my personal life. These shadowy companies trade in human data – compiling everything from your online purchases, location history, political affiliations, religious beliefs, and much more.
Here are some mind-blowing stats:
There are over 4,000 data brokers operating in the US alone [1]
Top data brokers have data on 700 million to 5,000 million consumers worldwide [2]
This data economy generates over $200 billion per year [3]
91% of US adults feel they have lost control over their personal data [4]
And it‘s not just harmless purchases and locations being tracked. Data brokers deal in sensitive categories like:
Financial and credit data
Health conditions and medications
Criminal records
Religious affiliation
Racial identity
Political leanings
Once data enters the broker system, you‘ve effectively lost control over who it‘s shared with and how it‘s used. This can enable disturbing violations of privacy:
Discrimination – Used to profile individuals and unfairly deny opportunities in areas like employment, insurance and lending [5].
Identity theft – With enough data points, thieves can steal and clone your identity to commit fraud.
Targeted disinformation – Detailed profiles allow political groups to microtarget individuals with misinformation [6].
Predatory ads – Ad networks leverage broker data to target and manipulate vulnerable groups like gambling addicts, the elderly and the sick [7].
This pernicious data market operates largely in the shadows, with most people unaware of just how invasive it has become. Studies show even the most private details end up in broker databases sooner or later [8]. Something needs to be done to enforce our privacy rights in the digital sphere.
Incogni to the Rescue: Reclaiming Your Data
Founded in 2022 by the respected cybersecurity firm SurfShark, Incogni represents a bold new effort to counteract invasive data brokers. Incogni‘s mission statement says it all:
"To enforce your digital privacy and make the largely unregulated data broker industry play by the rules."
So how does Incogni actually accomplish this lofty goal? I‘ll walk you through exactly how it works:
1) You Sign Up
Registering for Incogni takes less than 5 minutes. You simply provide basic details like your name, physical address, phone number and email. This arms Incogni with what they need to start reclaiming your data.
2) You Grant Limited Power of Attorney
This authorizes Incogni to legally represent you in dealing with any data brokers holding your information. Standard legal procedure.
3) Cutting Edge Data Discovery
Incogni leverages an advanced technology platform to continuously scan a vast network of over 200 data brokers. Any that are found to have your personal data are flagged for removal proceedings.
4) Automated Removal Requests
This is where the magic happens. As soon as a broker is discovered holding your data, Incogni‘s system automatically generates and sends a legal removal request to that broker. This happens around the clock without any effort on your part.
5) Status Updates Keep You Informed
Throughout the process, you receive scheduled email updates on the removal request status. You can also log into your Incogni dashboard for realtime progress.
6) Persistent Follow Up
If any broker denies a removal request or drags their feet, Incogni‘s experienced team personally follows up to negotiate and demand compliance. Legal action gets pursued if brokers continue to resist.
Unlike the manual nightmare of contacting hundreds of brokers yourself, Incogni handles the entire grueling process on your behalf. This frees you to focus on other aspects of reclaiming your digital privacy.
Attractive Pricing That Puts Privacy Within Reach
Incogni offers two flexible pricing options to fit your needs:
Monthly: $12.99 billed each month. Cancel anytime.
Annual: $77.88 billed once yearly. Saves 50% compared to monthly pricing.
I recommend the annual plan for most people. It enables Incogni to repeatedly submit removal requests throughout the year. This prevents data from creeping back onto broker databases after the initial removal. The annual plan provides strong ongoing value for protecting your privacy.
And with either plan, you can request a full refund within 30 days if unsatisfied. So you can effectively "test drive" the service risk-free.
Why I Recommend Incogni: Key Advantages
After thoroughly testing Incogni myself, here are the top benefits that set them apart:
✅ Automation Saves You Time
Incogni‘s automated removal request system is far more efficient than tackling hundreds of brokers manually yourself. This frees up your time for other privacy measures.
✅ Responsive Customer Support
Questions I had about billing and broker responses were swiftly answered by Incogni‘s stellar customer service team. I‘m impressed with their expertise and responsiveness.
✅ Continual Updates Keep Data Deleted
The annual plan ensures your data doesn‘t resurface on broker databases, by allowing Incogni to repeatedly submit deletions throughout the year.
✅ Simple and Straightforward Process
Registering and using Incogni‘s dashboard takes minimal time and effort. The process stays focused only on what‘s needed to effectively remove your data.
✅ Peace of Mind That Your Data Is Out There
Knowing Incogni is proactively monitoring data brokers to protect my privacy puts my mind at ease. It‘s a relief to have them in my corner.
While no service is perfect, Incogni hits the core needs of enforcing your privacy rights in the murky data broker ecosystem. For a reasonable price, they lift a huge burden off your shoulders.
Key Limitations to Keep in Mind
Incogni isn‘t flawless, however. A few limitations to consider:
No truly free trial. The 30 day refund helps, but a free trial would allow testing the service more thoroughly first.
You can‘t view what specific data brokers have on you. Complete visibility would be ideal, but Incogni still gets the job done.
Certain broker sites still require manual removal. Incogni handles the bulk automatically, but occasional manual intervention is needed.
Incogni focuses just on existing broker data, not stopping new data collection. Though removing current data helps significantly.
Even with these minor shortcomings, I believe Incogni still provides immense value through its specialized data removal automation. No other service makes reclaiming your privacy this streamlined.
Take Back Your Data With Incogni
At the end of the day, Incogni effectively tackles an immense challenge: wresting control of your personal data away from the entrenched, minimally regulated data broker industry.
I highly recommend Incogni if you:
Feel creeped out by how much of your data is being bought and sold out there.
Want to exercise your privacy rights in the digital age.
Have limited time for the tedious process of contacting hundreds of brokers.
Prioritize the security of your sensitive personal information.
Don‘t want your data feeding shady profiling, discrimination and manipulation.
For less than $7 per month, Incogni can start enforcing your digital privacy. Their automation and expertise lifts the burden of reclaiming your data off your shoulders.
In our increasingly invasive digital data economy, Incogni provides welcome peace of mind. I hope this review helped explain exactly why they should be your ally in the fight to protect your privacy.
Take care,
[Your Name]
