For public servants nationwide, this week brings yet another reminder of how having your home address online can result in danger lurking outside your front door.
Police in Albuquerque, New Mexico, arrested a former Republican candidate for the state House of Representatives in connection with multiple shootings by four men at local Democratic politicians’ homes. Several shots were fired at every residence, and one of the bullets shattered the bedroom window of the 10-year-old daughter of the shooter’s target.
How Did He Know?
While news coverage of these incidents did not reveal how the candidate found the home addresses of those he sought to terrorize, the most likely answer is that he found them online. Such information is commonly shared or sold and can be accessed from any of dozens, if not hundreds of people-finder websites, as well as social media accounts and other sources.
“Disagreements take place. We know we don’t always agree with our elected officials. But that should never, ever lead to violence,” said the Mayor of Albuquerque at a news conference.
More and more, however, that’s exactly what happens. We are a deeply divided nation, and sadly this has resulted in far too many threats, as well attacks like this one.
What Can Be Done?
For politicians, as well as judges, police officers, social workers and other professionals, the threat levels continue to rise. One of the most effective ways to mitigate the danger is with online privacy protection.
What is Online Privacy Protection?
Simply put, it is a service that scans the Internet for websites where your private information, such as your home address and phone number, are accessible.
Whether you realize it or not, this content is likely available right now and can be located with a simple five-minute Google search.
Once you’ve enrolled in our program, our IronWall360 privacy team and proprietary software system will locate any personal information from any website, social media property or paid service. We then contact that site and demand it be removed. When they do not comply, we take them to court.
One way or another, that content comes down.
We can provide the same service to any family members you choose to enroll in the program as well.
You will receive regular updates and reports on any content that is found and where it was located, along with confirmation of when it has been removed.
More Than Just Personal Security
There are additional benefits to having your personal data removed from the Internet.
It means you are less likely to receive annoying robo-calls, and it lowers the possibility of being victimized by identity theft.
You may have signed up elsewhere for identity theft protection, but the protection they provide is mainly exercised after an attack has occurred. IronWall360 online privacy protection monitors the internet for places where your content turns up, and gets it taken down before it falls into the hands of those trying to steal your identity.
