Iris Launches Automated Service to Scrub Personal Data from the Web

WASHINGTON – January 27, 2026 – In an escalating battle for personal privacy, Iris® Powered by Generali today announced a new weapon for consumers: an automated service designed to hunt down and erase their personal information from the shadowy corners of the internet. The new solution, called Private Data Removal, aims to proactively reduce an individual's digital footprint, offering a shield against the growing threats of identity theft, scams, and online harassment.

The service works by systematically scanning hundreds of people-search websites and data brokerages—online entities that collect and sell personal information—for a user's sensitive details. When it finds exposed data such as addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, or names of family members, the system automatically submits removal requests on the customer's behalf. This marks a significant strategic shift in the identity protection industry, moving from passively monitoring for fraudulent activity to actively dismantling the data sources that fuel it.

A Proactive Push Against Digital Exposure

For years, identity protection has largely been a reactive measure. Consumers were alerted that their data was compromised only after a breach or when it was used for fraud. Iris's new offering represents a more aggressive, preventative posture.

"People-search websites and data brokers have become a gold mine for fraudsters," said Paige Schaffer, CEO of Iris® Powered by Generali, in a statement accompanying the launch. "The average person now has literally thousands of data points circulating online – often without ever even realizing it. With Private Data Removal, we're giving customers back control by actively finding and reducing that exposure before it can be exploited by fraudsters."

Once activated by a user, the service performs recurring scans throughout the year, ensuring that even if data reappears—a common problem in the persistent world of data aggregation—it is flagged for removal again. Users are kept informed through alerts and a dashboard that details what information was found, where it was located, and the status of the removal requests. The service is being made available to Iris's business partners through its Iris API Suite and OnWatch® Portal, allowing them to integrate it into their own customer-facing apps and websites.

Navigating the Data Broker Minefield

The launch comes at a time of heightened public awareness and concern over the vast, unregulated ecosystem of data brokers. These companies build detailed dossiers on millions of individuals by scraping public records, tracking online behavior, and purchasing data from other sources. This information is then sold for purposes ranging from targeted marketing to risk assessment, but it also creates a readily accessible toolkit for criminals.

The risks are substantial. Exposed personal data can be used to facilitate sophisticated phishing scams, enable identity theft, and even lead to real-world harm like doxxing and stalking. While regulations like Europe's GDPR give citizens a 'right to be forgotten,' the United States lacks a comprehensive federal privacy law, leaving a patchwork of state-level rules that can be difficult for the average person to navigate. Services like Private Data Removal aim to automate the arduous process of exercising these rights where they exist and requesting removal where they do not.

Experts in digital privacy note that the effectiveness of such services hinges on their persistence. Data brokers often repopulate their databases from various sources, making a one-time takedown request insufficient. The value proposition of automated services lies in their ability to wage this war of attrition on behalf of the consumer continuously.

A Crowded Market for Digital Anonymity

Iris is entering a competitive and rapidly growing market for privacy-enhancing technologies. A number of direct-to-consumer services, such as Incogni and DeleteMe, already offer similar data removal capabilities, each targeting hundreds of data broker sites with automated removal requests. These services have gained popularity as consumers become more desperate to reclaim a semblance of privacy.

Where Iris's strategy diverges is its B2B2C (business-to-business-to-consumer) model. Instead of selling directly to individuals, Iris partners with large enterprises—like banks, insurance companies, and employee benefits providers—who then offer the protection service to their customer base. This approach embeds the data removal tool as a value-added benefit, potentially bringing proactive privacy protection to a much wider audience that might not actively seek it out on their own.

This model suggests a future where digital hygiene services are not just a niche product for the tech-savvy but a standard feature bundled with financial or insurance products, much like roadside assistance or credit monitoring.

The Business of Building Trust

For the businesses partnering with Iris, offering a service like Private Data Removal is about more than just a new feature; it's a strategic move to build and maintain customer trust. In an age of frequent data breaches and widespread privacy concerns, companies are under increasing pressure to demonstrate a tangible commitment to protecting their customers' data.

By providing a tool that actively cleans up a customer's public data, a business can differentiate itself in a competitive market. The press release highlights this by noting that partners can reinforce their commitment by showing customers tangible results, such as a report stating "22 removals completed within the last month." This transforms privacy from an abstract policy into a visible, ongoing service.

As consumers become more discerning about which companies they entrust with their information, the ability to offer proactive protection could become a key factor in customer acquisition and loyalty. The battle for digital privacy is being fought on multiple fronts—through legislative action, consumer education, and technological innovation—and automated removal services represent a powerful new tool on the front lines for individuals and the businesses that serve them.