The internet is now rife with places where you can organize Zoom-bombing raids
The internet is rife with online communities where users can go and share Zoom conference codes and request that pranksters connect and hurl insults, play pornographic material, or make death threats against other participants -- in a practice called Zoom-bombing or a Zoom raid.
ZDNet began tracking the tactic since mid-March when the term was first coined following a TechCrunch article.
Ever since then, Zoom-bombing incidents have increased, as articles in major news outlets like the New York Times and the BBC have made the practice a favorite pastime for all the teenagers stuck in their homes during the current coronavirus (COVID-19) quarantines.
From a niche prank that started on a derelict Discord channel, Zoom-bombing has now spread to enormous proportions -- being so rampant these days that the FBI sent a nationwide alert last week, urging companies, schools, and universities to take steps to secure their Zoom channels.
But as Zoom-bombing became more popular, more pranksters wanted to join on the fun, and more users wanted their friends' Zoom meetings disrupted.
And as the old saying goes; where there's a demand, there's always a supply. Over the course of the past week, the number of places on the public internet where you can request a zoom raid from a gang of bored teenagers has exploded.
There are now more than 30 public Discord channels.
At least three subreddits -- two of which have been banned by the time we got down to write this article.
Multiple Twitter accounts where you can send Zoom conference codes and passwords to be broadcast to the entire internet.
And threads on at least three hacking forums where users are either sharing Zoom conference codes, or techniques to discover live meetings.
But without a doubt, the place where most Zoom raids are getting organized these days is on Discord, an online text and voice chat service.
While at the start of the week ZDNet found only two Discord channels for sharing Zoom conference IDs and organizing raids, today, there are more than 30.
One of them even had a hilarious disclaimer in its description, discouraging Zoom raids, only for the entire channel to be dedicated to sharing conference codes and Zoom-bombing requests.
Behind most of these requests are kids and teens, as PCMag discovered when it looked into the life of a Zoom raid, earlier this week. The publication noted how a Zoom raid started with a request made on a Discord channel and ended up as a recorded video shared on YouTube or TikTok.
PCMag found that kids and teenagers were behind many of these requests and pranks. In what ZDNet saw this week, we can say the same thing.
Most Zoom-bombing requests are still made by teens seeking to prank their colleagues or disrupt the class of a teacher they had a grudge against.
"Raid her now. She's a crazy SJW LGBT feminist," said a Discord user asking someone to disrupt a Spanish class that was live at the time.
But as Zoom raids and pranks have become more mainstream, conference organizers have also gotten better at securing their channels against outside interference.
This has, in turn, made it harder to get IDs for Zoom conferences pranksters can raid. Currently, some users are spending their time using scripts to parse social media for Zoom conference codes, which they later share on hacking forums, Reddit, and Discord.
That's how and why we're also seeing lots of Zoom raids that instead of targeting school or university classes, target training sessions open to the general public -- such yoga classes, web design courses, bible studies, art classes, and others.
While not all Zoom raids are recorded, when they are, most of the recordings usually end up on YouTube. The video-sharing platform doesn't appear to have an issue with hosting the videos, as long as they don't include pornographic content, racist remarks, or death threats -- content that's against the site's policy. Other than that, you can scream your lungs out during a Zoom raid, and YouTube will have no problem hosting it.
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Delete yourself from the internet with the best online data removal services
Now that most of us rely on the internet for communication, banking, shopping, jobs, and social life management, the line between our physical and digital identities has worn thin.
There is an unimaginable amount of data available online about us, and although we can and should lock down our individual accounts, there are times we'll feel compelled to take an extra step. One way to reduce our digital footprint and protect ourselves from being so easy to find -- or, to impersonate -- is to overhaul all the services we use and delete others.
Also: How to delete yourself from internet search results and hide your identity online
Old shopping accounts, archaic social media profiles, mailing list subscriptions, and more can clutter our email inboxes and, over time, become annoying or embarrassing. However, rather than trying to track the details of each service online that holds onto our data, services exist dedicated to these tasks.
What's the best service for deleting yourself from the internet right now?
Based on our extensive research, ZDNET's top pick for a service for deleting yourself from the internet is DeleteMe, which focuses on removing your information and taking it out of the hands of data brokers, for an affordable price.
Below, you will find other interesting and valuable services that can help reduce your online footprint and remove your data from the internet in 2024.
Also: Best VPN services
The best services for deleting yourself from the internet in 2024
- Great user interface
- Privacy reports
- Family plans available
- US only
DeleteMe has earned many positive customer reviews, and it's easy to see why. This extremely user-friendly option will help you remove your sensitive and personal information from online sources and data brokers, all while saving you the legwork.
Once you've submitted your information, the organization will search for it online and send removal requests to third parties holding your data. A report will be sent to you outlining DeleteMe's progress within seven days.
DeleteMe offers a range of plans. These include a subscription for one person, for one year at $10.75/month, or for two years at $8.71/month. Other subscriptions include a plan for two individuals, for two years, priced at $14.54/month. Family plans begin at $20.79/month. Many customers say the service exceeds expectations.
DeleteMe features: Data broker management | Data deletion request handling | Scanning | User interface | Privacy reports
- Automatic data removal
- Utilizes data privacy laws
- Affordable
- Reduces spam calls
- A lack of detailed reporting
Surfshark's Incogni is a great service for removing yourself from the internet and negotiating with data brokers.
Once you've signed up, Incogni will send out removal requests to a vast array of data brokers and it will use applicable privacy laws -- including GDPR and CCPA -- to enforce these requests.
The company says that most requests are handled within eight weeks, although some may require action by the user. Incogni will also tackle shadow profiles on your behalf. However, reports can be limited and may not provide as much in-depth information as some users may want.
Regarding pricing, Incogni offers monthly or annual plans. If you opt for a monthly plan, you will pay $12.98/month (tax included). Or, if you want to pay every year, Incogni's services will cost you $77.78, or $6.49/month.
If you're unsure how much information you need to be scrubbed from the internet, you could opt for the monthly plan and consider a clean-up once or twice a year. There is also a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if you find there is less out there related to you than you first believed, this service is a great try-before-you-buy option.
Customers say they feel the benefit through reduced spam calls -- and that data is removed fast.
Incogni features: Data broker management | Data removal request follow-ups | Limited reports | Shadow profile detection | User education resources | 30-day money-back guarantee
- Excellent features
- Family plans
- Affordable
- Limited free plan
- Some requests require manual review
Kanary is another excellent service for cleaning up your online information. Kanary will work on removing search links, data dumps, and sensitive information from the web, all while providing a 90-day timeline to handle most removals.
Once you've added your personal data to a user interface or multiple profiles for family members, Kanary will review removal requests and start working on your behalf, although some requests may require manual handling. Customer feedback indicates that this service is reliable, reports are clear and concise, and the service represents value for money.
Kanary offers a deal for families. There is a basic, limited plan for free that includes a 14-day free trial of premium features, an individual plan for $15/month, or family members can be added to the $17/month premium plan for an additional $8.49/month.
Kanary features: User dashboard | Frequent scanning | Family plans | Data removal request management | Strong security standards | Data broker management
- Browser extension
- Privacy monitoring
- Select trusted companies
- No free trial
- Expensive
PrivacyBee is another service that is able to track where your information is and act on your behalf to remove it from companies you don't trust, as well as data brokers.
This service allows users to identify companies they either trust or do not trust, and then PrivacyBee will work with these organizations to adhere to your privacy choices.
PrivacyBee will also check and monitor search results to remove sensitive information. Furthermore, users can download a browser extension displaying their data relationship with the companies they visit.
Pricing begins at $197 per year, and as this is expensive as an up-front cost, this may deter some customers. Reviews suggest that the service is secure and thorough, though.
PrivacyBee features: Company checks | Data deletion | Data broker management | Privacy browser extension | User dashboard | 24/7 monitoring | Search engine cleanup
- Personalized services
- Reputable company
- Patented technology
- Prices unavailable publicly
Reputation Defender by Norton is a tailored service offered to individuals, professionals, executives, and businesses.
This service differs from our other recommendations as a personal offering that focuses on managing and cleaning up reputations, which could include online data removal and deletion of information held by data brokers and people-search websites.
Norton's offering includes data management, reputation management, personal branding assistance, privacy alerts, regular scanning, and search result management.
Prices for Reputation Defender by Norton are available upon request as cases are personalized and depend on your circumstances. The company offers users a free consultation, and customers say the support team is able to handle sensitive situations well.
Reputation Defender features: Personal service | Reputation management | Personal branding | Search result monitoring | Data deletion | Personal consultation | Privacy threat reports
What are the best services for deleting yourself from the internet?
The best service for deleting yourself from the internet is DeleteMe, which focuses on removing your information and taking it away from data brokers -- and for an affordable price.
Below, you will find some of the main features of each of our recommendations.
| Best data removal service | Price | Conducts data removal/opt-out requests? | Free trial? | Personalized solutions? |
DeleteMe | $8.71+/month | ✓ | X | x |
Incogni | $6.49+/month | ✓ | X | x |
Kanary | Free/$15+/month | ✓ (limited free plan) | ✓ | x |
PrivacyBee | $197/year | ✓ | X | x |
Reputation Defender by Norton | On request | ✓ | X | ✓ |
Which is the right service for deleting yourself from the internet for you?
The best service depends on your circumstances. However, they can benefit anyone's situation, considering how often data breaches occur and how much of our personal information is now available online.
These are our expert recommendations for the best service for deleting yourself from the internet.
Choose this top data removal service... | If you want or are… |
DeleteMe | To have information removed from search engines. You submit the information you want removed, and DeleteMe will do the rest. |
Incogni | An affordable solution to protect yourself and your data. Incogni provides a one-stop-shop solution for data protection and management. |
Kanary | Protection for more than one person. Kanary provides great value for families who want their personal data monitored online. |
PrivacyBee | To choose what companies you trust. PrivacyBee allows you to select companies you are comfortable with holding your data, as well as select organizations of which you want your information deleted from their records. |
Reputation Defender by Norton | A reputation manager. Reputation Defender is best suited to high-profile individuals and businesses that need constant supervision and reputation protection. |
How did we choose these services for reducing your online footprint?
When choosing the best services for deleting yourself from the internet, there are a number of factors we considered, including:
- Price: While selecting the best services, we wanted to provide a range of options with different price points, including very affordable subscriptions and plans.
- Removal: We included services that can scan, monitor, and check online databases and data broker repositories for your personal information and then work on your behalf to have it removed.
- Protection: The services listed above also include protective features that may reduce the likelihood of personalized spam calls and phishing emails, as well as trolling, stalking, or identity theft.
- Frequency: We also ensure that our recommended services can conduct frequent scans on your behalf. While you may just want one check and deletion, our information is constantly changing hands -- and this means that your data could reappear online eventually.
- Reports: The services we recommend will often provide reports with each scan to keep you updated on where your data was found, what has been deleted, and potentially what your next steps should be.
How do I delete myself from internet search results?
There are numerous steps you can take to stop your name from appearing in internet search results and through engines, including Google and Bing. However, it can be a complicated and time-consuming process. Below are some steps to help you get started.
- Use a search engine: Your first action should be to type in your name, nicknames, and online handles into search engines. This step will reveal the information that anyone can easily find on you and can help you plan your next steps, including which companies you may need to contact to have data removed or what accounts to delete.
- Lock down or delete social media accounts: Deletion is the nuclear option, but most social media platforms will have an option in settings to stop your profile from appearing in search engine results. As our profiles -- even if they are publicly limited -- can contain our photos, full name, and more, removing them from search engine queries can help reduce our online footprint. For step-by-step guides, visit Facebook (here), Instagram (here), and X -- formerly known as Twitter -- (here).
- Delete old, unused accounts: Whether shopping, social media, or forums, each service you use -- or have used -- may tie your online identity together through your name, nicknames, or PII, all of which could be at risk if a data breach occurs. If you do not want to use a dedicated service, consider going through your email and password managers to find active accounts. You will need to access them and request removal manually.
- Clean up forum posts: Forums can often be overlooked, but if someone finds out the handles you commonly use, they may be able to find content connected to you -- which could now be completely irrelevant to the person you are today, or embarrassing if exposed. Delete old forum posts and preferably remove your accounts entirely.
- Contact webmasters: If you have old accounts that do not have auto-delete features, contact webmasters directly to have your profiles and data deleted. This process will likely be easier if you are in an area covered by regulations such as the EU's GDPR.
- Request that people finder websites delete your information: People finder websites can be used as 'search engines' to look up someone based on their name, phone number, and other personal information, which can be a nightmare for privacy. Opting out and forcing the removal of your information from these organizations, which may buy this information from data brokers, can be a challenging process to perform manually as it may require contacting each service individually to negotiate. If these organizations prove to be difficult, deletion could also require an understanding of applicable privacy and data protection laws to enforce your requests. Consider using a service such as Incogni or DeleteMe to do the legwork for you.
- Deactivate email accounts: Our email accounts tend to be the core platform that ties your digital profile together, but once they're gone, they're gone. When you are ready, delete your email accounts, which will break the common threads between your online services. However, only take this step if you are sure.
Can I remove my personal information from Google search?
You can, although the process is limited and your request may be rejected if the company doesn't believe there are grounds for removal.
You will need to contact Google using this form, with the options being a request to remove information you see or to prevent information from appearing in Google search results. Removal requests can also be made for:
- Exposed personal identifiable information (PII)
- Explicit images, including adult content
- Involuntary, fake pornography
- Images of minors
- Information from websites with 'exploitive' removal practices, such as those that demand payment
However, in some cases -- for example, a request to remove links to law enforcement statements or media articles concerning an individual and a prosecution -- Google may refuse as such information is in the public interest. If Google refuses, it will provide a reason for its decision.
How can I protect my identity online?
There are numerous ways you can protect your identity online. Experts recommend securing personal information, locking down your social media accounts to friends and connections only, using antivirus software, regularly updating programs and software, and changing your passwords on a regular basis.
Furthermore, if you find 'clones' of your identity -- such as a fake Facebook or dating app profile -- ensure you report the fake account to associated online services.
If you suspect your data has been leaked online, use the Have I Been Pwned service to see if you have been involved in any data breaches.
Are there alternative services for deleting yourself from the internet worth considering?
While the services above for deleting yourself from the internet are ZDNET's top picks, there are many options available to consumers today. Here are some alternative options that might suit what you're looking for.
BEST PRICE
Norton Privacy Monitor - Removal from people search websites
Norton's Privacy Monitor service focuses on removing your information from people search websites. The service is available as a bolt-on in Norton 360 with LifeLock plans.
BEST PRICE
Optery - Removal from hundreds of websites
Optery is a great option if you want a free report before signing up for a data removal service. If you go ahead, plans with data removal included begin at $3.99/month.
BEST PRICE
Onerep - An AI-powered removal service
Onerep is an AI-backed data removal service. Conducting an initial service to check where your name may appear online is free, and Onerep will attempt to remove information from data brokers. Pricing begins at $8.33/month.
BEST PRICE
EasyOptOuts - An affordable way to tackle data brokers
EasyOptOuts is another great alternative if you want to remove your name, address, phone number, and more from online platforms and data brokers. The service costs only $19.99 per year.
BEST PRICE
Your digital rights.org - Free assistance with manual data removal
Your digital rights.org is another worthwhile resource if you want to take on data removal yourself but could use some help with the first steps.
