Mozilla Monitor's new service automatically removes personal information from data broker sites

Mozilla today introduces a new subscription service that lets you find and remove personal and sensitive information from data broker websites on the web. This includes the ability to remove phone numbers, emails, home addresses and other information published on data broker websites and sold for commercial purposes, the company said.

This new subscription-based service is available as part of Mozilla Monitor (formerly Firefox Monitor). This was originally a free service that would notify you if your email was part of a data breach. With Monitor Plus, a newly added optional subscription, over 10 million existing Mozilla Monitor users can run scans to see if their personal information has been compromised and then re-secure that information. You will be able to provide your users with the tools to go public.

Currently, the process of removing information from a data broker's website can be complex and confusing. Most sites have an opt-out page where you can fill out a form to request removal of your information, or contact the broker directly to request removal. However, people often don't know who has their information or how to go through the process of deleting information they find online.

Image credits: Mozilla

Mozilla Monitor aims to ease this process by actively searching 190 data broker sites known to sell people's private and personal information. If we discover data you have provided to Mozilla on one of these sites, such as your name, location, date of birth, etc., we will initiate a removal request on your behalf. According to Mozilla, this process can take anywhere from one day to up to a month. This feature is part of the new Monitor Plus $13.99/month subscription, which drops to $8.99/month if you purchase an annual subscription ($107.88/year).

Free users have the option of a one-time scan of data broker sites instead, but they must take steps to manually delete the information. This can be useful for upselling to new subscription services, as this arduous process can be automatically removed. Both free and paid users will still receive alerts about data breaches and will also be provided with tools to remediate high-risk breaches.

“When we launched Monitor, our goal was to help people discover where their personal information may have been compromised. It will enable people to get their data back from data broker sites that try to sell it to them,” Tony Amaral-Cinotto, Mozilla's Mozilla Monitor product manager, explained in the announcement. “Our long-standing commitment to putting people's needs first and our easy step-by-step process make Monitor Plus unique. Additionally, we combine breach alerts and data broker removal to create an all-in-one solution. It provides protection tools and makes it easier for people to feel safe online,” he added.

To start a scan, users provide Mozilla with their first and last name, current city and state, date of birth, and email. This information is encrypted and is subject to Mozilla's privacy policy. Mozilla uses this information to run scans that show you where your personal information has been exposed, such as data breaches or broker sites. The company notes that 233 million people will be affected by data breaches in 2023 alone, making tools like this a necessity these days.

Mozilla Monitor Plus subscribers benefit from monthly scans and automatic deletions. The company said the free scans and paid services will initially be available only to users in the United States.