Public Servant Privacy GuideProtecting those who serve, and their families

Your service should not come with a public address.

A practical guide for military members, diplomats, government employees, and their families to finding and removing personal information online, and keeping it off.

The problem

Search almost anyone's name and you will find pages claiming to list their home address, phone numbers, relatives, and past addresses. Most of that information is assembled by data brokers and people-search sites without the person's knowledge. For people who serve, that exposure is more than an annoyance. It can be used to locate, impersonate, harass, or target them and their families.

The good news is that much of it can be removed, and new laws are making removal easier. This guide walks through the entire process, step by step.

Why It Matters for Public ServantsThe specific risks for military members, diplomats, and officials, and what federal regulators have said.Data Brokers 101Where your data comes from, who buys it, and why it keeps coming back.The Removal PlaybookA step-by-step process for finding and removing your records.People-Search SitesHow opt-outs work at the major people-search sites, and the traps to avoid.Search EnginesRemoving contact details from search results.Credit Freezes and AlertsFree freezes at the three bureaus and the specialty agencies most people forget.Protections for Service MembersActive duty alerts, free credit monitoring, and more.Address Confidentiality ProgramsHow state programs give eligible people a substitute address.Privacy LawsThe federal and state laws that give you rights, and their limits.Property and Public RecordsWhy your home address is public, and what can be done.Digital HygieneEmail aliases, phone numbers, photos, and social media.Protecting Your FamilySpouses, children, and parents are often the weak link.The Complete ChecklistEverything on one page, in order.

Featured practitioner

Songkane Sackaly, a U.S. Army veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and a Foreign Service Officer with service in the Near East, brings a practitioner's perspective on why the personal information of public servants deserves protection. Read his practitioner profile.

This is not legal advice. It is a practical guide based on public law and widely used practices. For legal questions, consult an attorney licensed in your state.