Incogni review

Is Incogni the key to taking back control of your online data? Our incogni review delves into Surfshark’s tool, cutting through the marketing speak to give you the facts on its privacy protection capabilities. We analyze its ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and most importantly, its proficiency in removing your data from the eyes of data brokers. Keep reading to uncover whether Incogni stands up as a guardian of your digital self or if it falls short of its promises.

Key Takeaways

• Incogni, developed by Surfshark, is a robust privacy tool designed to automate the removal of users’ personal data from data brokers and enforce privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA across multiple regions, offering a broad service coverage.

• The setup process for Incogni is straightforward, requiring users to sign up, provide personal information, and grant a limited power of attorney to enable Incogni to request data removal on their behalf, followed by a simple and informative onboarding experience.

• Incogni has demonstrated effectiveness in removing user data from online databases, working with over 180 data brokers and continuously updating its network to ensure comprehensive privacy protection, with a user-friendly dashboard for tracking progress and requiring minimal user intervention.

Unveiling Incogni – Surfshark's Data Privacy Solution

Incogni emerges as a beacon of hope in the expansive realm of data privacy. Developed by Surfshark, a well-respected security company, Incogni offers the following features:

• Automates the process of wiping out personal profiles from the market by sending requests to data brokers

• Enforces stringent privacy laws like GDPR and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)

• Provides detailed legal process and support for privacy laws in diverse regions

Incogni gives individuals a robust tool to reclaim control of their digital identities.

One might wonder, who is the intended user of Incogni? A regular individual, a privacy-focused professional, or perhaps both? As it turns out, Incogni caters to a wide audience. Whether you’re overwhelmed by the process of contacting data brokers or are simply proactive about guarding your personal information online, Incogni has got you covered. The legitimacy of Surfshark’s Incogni service is underlined by its commitment to robust encryption and minimal data collection, ensuring user safety.

Moreover, Incogni’s service extends beyond local boundaries as it operates in compliance with data privacy laws across the United Kingdom, Europe, Canada, and the United States, establishing itself as a global protector of data privacy. And it seems Incogni isn’t stopping there. In a bid to broaden its privacy protection, Incogni has recently targeted a new category – People Search Sites – further shielding user data from exposure. These are bold claims indeed, but how does Incogni fare when put to the test?

Getting Started with Incogni – The Initial Steps

Initiating your journey towards data privacy with Incogni is impressively straightforward. To start, users sign up on the Incogni website with their email and password, provide their full name, recent address, and optionally, phone number for a more exhaustive data removal process. Once registered, users can choose a subscription plan, see the price accordingly, and make a payment in one of several currencies based on their selected country.

But there’s a catch – albeit a necessary and logical one. To enable Incogni to request data removal on the user’s behalf, users must grant Incogni a limited power of attorney by signing an authorization form. It’s a small hurdle to clear for the peace of mind that follows.

The entire setup process, designed to take approximately 15 minutes, requires minimal configuration. And if you’re feeling lost, don’t worry – you’ll receive a detailed onboarding email to guide you every step of the way. Now that you’re all set up let’s explore the Incogni user interface.

Navigating Incogni's User Interface

Upon logging in to your Incogni account, a minimalist and intuitive dashboard welcomes you. Here, you can:

• See the number of brokers being interacted with

• Monitor the status of removal requests through a visual progress tracker

• Receive notifications whenever an action is required on your part.

The user-friendly Incogni dashboard is designed to simplify your data privacy journey and put you in control.

Dashboard Dynamics

The Incogni dashboard, attractive as it may be, is more than just aesthetics—it’s a potent tool facilitating transparency in the data removal process. With a pie chart and statistics on the number of removal requests sent, in progress, and completed, the dashboard provides a visual representation of your data removal progress. It also displays the sensitivity of your personal data on a scale from 1 to 10, allowing you to understand the potential risk associated with each broker.

The dashboard’s ‘detailed view’ feature lets you see updated statuses of your requests with data brokers, including new data brokers, and sort brokers based on categories like Data Sensitivity and Data Status. And if you need to take any additional steps, ‘Action required’ notifications will guide you through the process, providing you with the necessary guidance to directly contact data brokers.

Feature Set and Accessibility

Apart from the dashboard, Incogni equips itself with a robust suite of features designed to streamline your data privacy experience. To begin with, Incogni uses a power of attorney document to authorize itself to send official data removal requests in your name, taking the burden off your shoulders. The service automates the data removal process by predicting which brokers may have your information and sending out official removal requests without requiring manual intervention on your part.

In case you need help, Incogni’s customer support includes a useful knowledge base that covers the data removal process and how to deal with data brokers. Over time, this knowledge base has grown, indicating Incogni’s dedication to continuous improvement and user support.

Real-World Results: Incogni's Effectiveness

Effectiveness is paramount in the realm of data privacy. So let’s assess Incogni’s performance in practical scenarios. Based on user feedback and our review, Incogni has demonstrated high effectiveness in removing user data. A majority of data brokers respond to removal requests within a week, with users confirming a reduced presence in online databases.

The data removal process is transparent, with Incogni offering a data removal service that provides weekly updates on progress and a clear display of ‘Completed’ tags next to each processed data broker.

Coverage and Completion – Analyzing Incogni's Reach

Incogni not only pledges results but also delivers on those promises. Currently working with over 180 data brokers, Incogni is dedicated to continuously expanding its network for a more comprehensive service. You might wonder how many data brokers are out there; in a recent test, Incogni efficiently identified and targeted 106 brokers that had a user’s personal data on file.

Incogni contacts data brokers and extends its reach to a diverse range of sectors, including:

• marketing

• recruitment

• risk mitigation

• financial information

• health information brokers

• people search sites

• data broker databases

The recent additions to its network further expand its service capabilities, ensuring that your sensitive data, including personal data, is shielded from various angles, in compliance with the general data protection regulation.

Follow-Up and Consistency – Ensuring Continued Privacy

Incogni’s dedication to privacy extends beyond a one-time request. To ensure long-term privacy protection, Incogni:

• Sends out recurring data removal requests, keeping your personal data off the market

• Proactively schedules follow-up removals with existing brokers

• Automatically adds new requests for any newly identified data brokers

In some cases, Incogni may request additional details from users to complete the data removal process. Users are also encouraged to forward any communication from data brokers to Incogni, ensuring they do not need to directly engage with brokers. By defining a completed removal request as one where the data broker has confirmed the removal of data or indicated that no data was held to begin with, Incogni ensures consistent protection of user privacy.

Incogni's Standing in the World of Online Privacy

In a market saturated with data privacy tools, what sets Incogni apart? Here are some key features that make Incogni stand out:

• Competitive pricing and flexible subscription plans

• Broad coverage approach

• Strong value proposition for users seeking efficient and cost-effective privacy protection

Incogni holds its own against competitors like DeleteMe, HelloPrivacy, and Aura.

With a Trustpilot rating of 4.4, on par with DeleteMe, Incogni has managed to accumulate favorable customer feedback. While DeleteMe offers detailed reporting and targets major data brokers, Incogni is noted for its broader coverage. This, coupled with its cost-effective subscription options, makes Incogni a compelling choice for individuals seeking efficient and affordable privacy protection.

Summary

In a nutshell, Incogni is a powerful tool in the fight for online privacy. It automates the process of removing personal profiles from the market, leveraging stringent privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA. With its user-friendly interface, detailed dashboard, and robust set of features, Incogni makes the daunting task of data privacy protection a breeze.

Incogni’s effectiveness is evident in its real-world results, with a majority of data brokers responding to removal requests within a week. Its commitment to long-term privacy protection through recurring data removal requests and follow-ups further elevates its value. With competitive pricing and flexible subscription plans, Incogni offers a cost-effective solution for individuals seeking to protect their online privacy.