GitHub - stephenlthorn/auto-identity-remove: Automated data broker opt-out runner — removes your personal info from 30+ people-search sites on a monthly schedule

Automated data broker opt-out runner for macOS. Removes your personal information from 500+ people-search sites and data broker databases on a monthly schedule — with CAPTCHA solving, persistent state tracking (so completed opt-outs aren't resubmitted every run), and an iMessage notification when done. What it does Each month, the script:

Searches each data broker site for your name + state Finds your specific listing (for sites that need a profile URL) Fills and submits the opt-out form automatically Solves CAPTCHAs via CapSolver (AI-powered, ~$0.001/solve) Skips brokers you were already removed from recently (90-day re-check window) Sends you an iMessage with the results summary Opens any sites that require manual action in your browser

Requirements

macOS (uses launchd for scheduling and Messages for iMessage) Node.js 18+ Playwright browsers installed

npx playwright install chromium

Quick Start # 1. Clone the repo git clone https://github.com/stephenlthorn/auto-identity-remove.git cd auto-identity-remove

# 2. Install dependencies npm install

# 3. Run interactive setup (creates config.json and schedules the monthly job) node setup.js

# 4. Run manually anytime ./run.sh

Setup walkthrough node setup.js guides you through:

Step What it does

Personal info Name, city, state, ZIP, email, phone

Aliases Past names or variations (e.g. "Steve Doe")

CapSolver key For CAPTCHA-protected opt-out forms

One-time accounts Creates accounts on sites that require login (stored in config.json, gitignored)

iMessage Phone number to text the results summary to

launchd schedule Registers a monthly job to run on the 1st at 9am

Your personal info never leaves your machine. config.json and state.json are both gitignored.

CapSolver (optional but recommended) Some opt-out forms have reCAPTCHA. Without CapSolver, those sites go to your manual list instead of being handled automatically.

Sign up at capsolver.com — free, pay-as-you-go Add $1–2 of credits (enough for months of use at ~$0.001/solve) Paste your API key when setup.js asks, or add it to config.json:

"capsolver": { "apiKey": "CAP-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" }

Files auto-identity-remove/ ├── setup.js ← Run once: interactive setup + scheduling ├── watcher.js ← Main runner ├── brokers.js ← Broker list with opt-out strategies ├── run.sh ← Manual trigger ├── config.example.json ← Template (copy → config.json) ├── package.json ├── .gitignore │ ├── config.json ← YOUR personal info (gitignored, created by setup.js) ├── state.json ← Opt-out history / skip logic (gitignored) └── logs/ ← Per-run JSON logs (gitignored)

State tracking state.json tracks when each broker was last successfully opted out. The default re-check window is 90 days — brokers typically re-add your data within that window, so the script re-submits when it's time. { "optOuts": { "Spokeo": { "lastSuccess": "2026-05-01T09:00:00.000Z", "totalRuns": 3, "detail": "" } } } On each run you'll see:

✅ Removed — opt-out submitted this run ⏭ Skipped (fresh) — removed recently, re-check not due yet 🔍 Not listed — your name wasn't found on that site 📋 Manual needed — opened in your browser for you to handle ❌ Error — network/timeout issue, will retry next run

Brokers covered Auto-removed (30+)

Site Method

Spokeo Search → find listing → opt-out form

WhitePages Search → find listing →

suppression form

FastPeopleSearch Search → opt-out form

TruePeopleSearch Direct opt-out form

BeenVerified Opt-out search form

Radaris Search → privacy form

Intelius Direct opt-out form

PeopleFinders Direct opt-out form

PeopleSmart Direct opt-out form

MyLife Search → opt-out

Nuwber Search → removal form

FamilyTreeNow Direct opt-out form

CheckPeople Direct opt-out form

ThatsThem Direct opt-out form

USPhonebook Direct opt-out form

PublicDataUSA Direct opt-out form

SmartBackgroundChecks Direct opt-out form

SearchPeopleFree Direct opt-out form

PeopleSearchNow Direct opt-out form

InfoTracer Direct opt-out form

SocialCatfish Direct opt-out form

NationalPublicData Direct opt-out form

ClustrMaps Direct opt-out form

PrivateRecords Direct opt-out form

Acxiom Direct form (feeds dozens of downstream brokers)

LexisNexis Direct form (legal/financial data)

ZoomInfo Direct form (B2B professional data)

Clearbit Direct form (B2B enrichment data)

Pipl Email opt-out via Mail.app

Generic — 500+ additional brokers (auto-detected) generic-runner.js handles the remaining ~470 brokers from two public datasets:

Dataset Source Count

The Markup's data broker list Journalism research, 494 opt-out URLs ~494

BADBOOL Community-maintained people-search list ~27 extra

For each site it tries four strategies in order:

Click a "Do Not Sell My Personal Information" button Opt out via OneTrust / TrustArc / Osano privacy manager Fill any generic opt-out form (email, name, state) and submit Find and record a DSAR / data request link for manual follow-up

Sites requiring manual action are opened in your browser automatically.

Manual (opened in browser for you)

Site Why manual

Google — Results About You Requires Google account interaction

Google — Outdated Content Case-by-case URL submission

Adding more brokers Edit brokers.js and add an entry: { name: 'NewBrokerSite', method: 'direct-form', // or 'search-form', 'email', 'manual' optOutUrl: 'https://example.com/opt-out', formFields: { 'input[name*="first" i]': F, // F, L, N, E, ST, Z are from config 'input[name*="last" i]': L, 'input[type="email"]': E, }, submitSelector: 'button[type="submit"]', captchaLikely: false, priority: 2, } PRs welcome — especially for brokers with verified working selectors.

Manual run ./run.sh Or to run in the background and log output: ./run.sh >> logs/manual-run.log 2>&1 &

Uninstall / disable schedule launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.auto-identity-remove.plist rm ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.auto-identity-remove.plist

Why not just use a paid service? Paid services like Incogni ($96/yr) or Optery ($39/yr) are excellent and cover more brokers with professionally maintained opt-out flows. This tool is for people who want full control, transparency, and no recurring subscription — or who want to handle the gaps those services miss (Acxiom, LexisNexis, ZoomInfo, Clearbit). Using both is the strongest approach: a paid service for the bulk of brokers + this script for the gaps.

License MIT