016 - Privacy Discussion with Tyler from EasyOptOuts

The Lockdown - Practical Privacy & Security

In this episode, we have a special guest, Tyler Murphy, co-founder of EasyOptOuts, a data removal service focused on helping people remove their personal information from publicly accessible people search sites. Tyler discusses the inspiration behind EasyOptOuts, the challenges of maintaining privacy in a world of constant data breaches, and offers insights into data removal from various brokers. This conversation is packed with advice for anyone looking to regain control over their online privacy.

In this week’s episode:

1. Tyler shares how EasyOptOuts was founded, the challenges faced, and their mission to make data removal accessible.
2. Discussion on the widespread availability of personal data on people search sites and the complexities of removing it.
3. Insights into how EasyOptOuts automates data removal, and comparisons with manual removal processes.
4. The challenges posed by bot detection, CAPTCHAs, and deceptive removal processes that often require membership or payment.
5. The potential implications of data breaches, evolving bot detection, and the future of digital identity verification.
6. Tyler shares his own privacy techniques, including the use of VPNs, alias names, and minimizing data exposure online.
7. EasyOptOuts approach to scaling their service, future plans for business and family tiers, and their commitment to remaining a two-person operation.

Show Links:
EasyOptOuts - https://www.easyoptouts.com/

Imagine, then, this situation where we have the huge electronic intercommunication so that everybody is in touch with everybody else in such a way that it reveals their inmost thoughts, and there is no longer any individuality. No privacy. Everything you are, everything you think is revealed to everyone. - Alan Watts

Podcast music: Recluse by Ray Heffer