Data brokers continue to evolve how they access, collect, and share personal information online. As a result, data removal services are fast becoming the go-to solution for people concerned about the risks of having their personal data freely available online.
Besides DeleteMe, new data broker removal services keep appearing on the market. Norton Privacy Monitor is one such data removal service that has recently caught our attention. By comparing these services, we aim to help people make an informed decision as to which service best suits their needs.
Background
Norton Privacy Monitor and Norton Privacy Monitor Assistant are part of the Norton family (known for its anti-virus software). Founded by Peter Norton, the company achieved worldwide prominence in the 1990s for its anti-virus software products. Norton’s Privacy Monitor Assistant, which provides a data broker removal service for Norton customers, was launched as a stand-alone solution in 2020.
DeleteMe is a Massachusetts-based company with over a decade of experience working in the data broker removal space. DeleteMe was founded by Rob Shavell in 2011 and is currently headquartered in Boston, MA.
Availability
Norton Privacy Monitor is only accessible to US-based customers.
DeleteMe is available across the US and in several other countries worldwide including:
Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Data Broker Removal Service
Norton has separated its data broker removal services into two products:
- Norton Privacy Monitor is a service available to existing Norton customers. It scans and lists where customer information is found online but does not process opt-outs.
- Norton Privacy Monitor Assistant scans data broker sites for customer personal information and then submits opt-out requests on their behalf. The service repeats the process every three months.
DeleteMe, on the other hand, offers customers a comprehensive removal service as its only product type.
Sites Removed
Norton Privacy Monitor Assistant removes PII from 19 data broker websites (as of May 2022). These are: Addresses, Backgroundalert, BeenVerified, BizShark, FreePeopleDirectory, IDTrue, Instant Checkmate, Intellius, PeekYou, PeopleFinders, PeopleLookup, PeopleSmart, PrivateEye, PublicRecords, PublicRecords360, PublicRecordsNow, Spokeo, TruthFinder, and ZabaSearch.
DeleteMe removes PII from more than 580 data broker sites and also enables customers to submit custom removal requests if they find their information elsewhere. Some of the most recognizable data brokers DeleteMe targets include Spokeo, My Life, and Whitepages. You can see a full list of data brokers covered by DeleteMe here.
Information covered
Norton Privacy Monitor Assistant doesn’t provide details on how many aliases and addresses its data broker removal service covers or how the opt-out process works.
DeleteMe has no limit on the number of aliases you can submit. Any personal information directly related to you will be removed, regardless of how many emails, addresses, and previous names you have. When DeleteMe talks about PII, they mean everything, including your name, address, phone number, and even photographs of where you live.
Removal Process
Norton Privacy Monitor Assistant’s process is quite straightforward. However, there are differences between Norton Privacy Monitor and Norton Privacy Monitor Assistant. The first service will scan data broker platforms and give you a list of websites you need to opt-out of yourself. Privacy Monitor Assistant does the opt-outs for you.
Here’s how Norton’s data broker removal process works:
- Customers sign up and gain access to their accounts.
- Norton scans the data broker platforms it covers and provides a summary of what it finds.
- Norton Privacy Monitor users have to process the opt-outs themselves.
- Norton Privacy Monitor Assistant users can get Norton to process opt-outs on their behalf.
- Customers can track within their accounts the opt-outs that have been completed.
- The process is repeated every three months.
DeleteMe uses cutting-edge in-house technology combined with a dedicated team of specialist privacy experts to scan data broker sites and process opt-out requests.
DeleteMe’s removal process works like this:
- Customers sign up to DeleteMe andget access to their secure account.
- Customers share their personal information to help with DeleteMe’s data broker search.
- DeleteMe privacy experts immediately begin scanning data broker sites for customer data.
- Seven days after signing up, DeleteMe customers receive a detailed DeleteMe report that breaks down where their information was found and the status of any opt-out requests.
- Once every three months, DeleteMe’s privacy experts repeat the process to ensure that customer information remains off data broker sites.
- Between scans, DeleteMe customers can contact customer support and request custom opt-outs if they find their data on any data broker platform.
Scan Frequency and Turnaround Time
Norton Privacy Monitor Assistant will conduct a customer scan and process opt-out requests every three months. However, no information is provided on the turnaround time from sign-up to opt-outs.
DeleteMe completes a scan and processes opt-out requests every three months. However, DeleteMe continues to provide support between each scan, with DeleteMe’s team of privacy experts on hand to process any custom removal requests that customers make.
Track Record
Because Norton’s Privacy Monitor Assistant is a relatively new service, it’s difficult to compare track records. There are currently no reviews for their data broker removal service or even a Better Business Bureau rating.
DeleteMe has been specializing in data broker removals since 2011. In that time, DeleteMe has removed over 10 million profiles from data broker websites. And DeleteMe has plenty of happy customers, with a rating of 4.65/5 on SiteJabber and an A+ rating on Better Business Bureau.
Pricing
Norton Privacy Monitor Assistant and DeleteMe are similar in price.
Privacy Monitor Assistant is available on a monthly and yearly subscription basis, at the following prices:
- $12.99/month or $129.99/year.
DeleteMe’s pricing is as follows:
- 1-person plan – $129 annually/$209 every two years.
- 2-people plan – $229 annually/$349 every two years.
- Family plan (up to 4 people) – $329 annually/$499 every two years.
- Business plan – custom (contact customer support).
Cancellation Policy
Norton Privacy Monitor Assistant customers can cancel their contract at any time. They can also request a full refund within the first 60 days of an annual subscription or the first 14 days of a monthly subscription. Customers can process their cancellations through their account or by contacting the customer service team.
DeleteMe customers who want to cancel their subscription can do so easily within their customer accounts. Alternatively, they can contact the customer service team via email, telephone, or live chat to process a cancellation.
Customer Service
Norton’s Privacy Monitor Assistant customers can contact Norton via its live chat service, which will connect you to the relevant support. It also has a community section on its website that provides answers to frequently asked questions.
DeleteMe prides itself on its transparency and the easy access all its customers have to its team of privacy experts. That’s why you can contact DeleteMe by phone, email, or live chat and speak to a support officer quickly and easily.
DeleteMe vs Norton Privacy Monitor Assistant – Who to Pick?
DeleteMe wins. Norton’s services come with the confidence that you’re buying into a reputable brand which has been around for decades. However, data brokers are not their main area of expertise. In our comparison of DeleteMe vs Norton’s Privacy Monitor Assistant, it’s clear DeleteMe comes out ahead based on the number of data brokers its service removes your personal information from.
