How to remove your child’s information from the internet
Your kids are in databases they never signed up for — listed as “relatives” on people-search sites, mapped on family-tree pages, and posted across social media. Here’s how parents can get their information removed.
To remove your child’s information: opt out of the data brokers and family-tree sites that list them as a relative (parents can submit on a minor’s behalf), use your school’s FERPA directory-information opt-out, lock down your own social posts about them, and remove your own broker listing too (it’s the household record that exposes them). It isn’t permanent — brokers re-list while the child lives at your address — so re-check or automate it.
1. Data brokers & people-search sites (the main exposure)
Your child usually shows up on people-search sites as a relative on a listing tied to your home — with their name, approximate age and your address. Opt out of the major brokers on their behalf (parents can submit for a minor): our data-broker opt-out guide covers each site. Removing your own listing often clears the family record that exposes them, so do both.
2. Family-tree & relatives sites
Genealogy-style sites (FamilyTreeNow and similar) map relationships explicitly, which is exactly how someone finds a child through their parents. These are high-priority for families: opt out of the family-tree and relatives directories, and check for entries that name your child alongside you and other relatives.
3. Schools, sports leagues & directories
Under FERPA, schools can publish “directory information” (name, photo, activities) unless you opt out — ask the school for its directory-information opt-out form. Do the same for sports leagues, clubs, church groups and team rosters that post kids’ names, photos or schedules publicly.
4. Your own footprint (“sharenting”)
Parents create much of a child’s digital trail. Set your social profiles so children’s photos aren’t public, avoid posting their school, full birthdate or location tags, and review older posts. Ask grandparents and relatives to do the same — one public account can undo the rest.
5. Keep it removed (and watch for re-listing)
As long as your child lives at your address, brokers will keep rebuilding the household record, so a one-time cleanup fades. Re-check the major people-search and family-tree sites every few months — or automate the removals and monitoring so new listings get caught and removed again.
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PersProtect scans 499 broker and people-search sites for your household, removes the listings that expose you and your kids, and keeps re-checking. Family coverage up to 5. Start with a free scan.
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How is my child’s information even online?
Mostly indirectly. Data brokers build household and family profiles from public records, so your child often appears as a “relative” on people-search listings tied to your address. Add family-tree sites, school and sports rosters, and photos parents post themselves, and a surprising amount of a minor’s data is exposed without them ever signing up for anything.
Can I opt out a data broker on behalf of my child?
Yes. Parents and guardians can submit opt-out / deletion requests for a minor, and U.S. privacy laws back the right to remove a child’s data. Use the same opt-out forms you’d use for yourself, identifying the minor’s listing — and because brokers list children via the family record, removing your own listing often helps too.
What law protects children’s data online?
COPPA (the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) restricts how online services collect data from kids under 13, and state laws (like California’s) add deletion rights. These don’t automatically erase a child from people-search sites, but they give you the legal basis to demand removal and to limit further collection.
Should I worry about posting my kids on social media?
“Sharenting” is one of the largest sources of a child’s digital footprint. Public photos, birthdays, school names and locations can be scraped and combined with broker data. You don’t have to stop entirely — just lock down privacy, avoid posting identifying details (school, full birthdate, location tags), and review who can see older posts.
Will my child’s information come back after I remove it?
It can. Brokers re-scrape public and household records, so a removed listing can reappear within weeks to months — especially while the child still lives at your address. Keeping it down means re-checking the major sites periodically, or automating the removals and monitoring.
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