Remember that carefree time before kids when you posted whatever you wanted online? Those vacation photos with one too many cocktails, that heated political debate on a forum, or that quote you shared that hasn’t aged well at all?
Fast forward to today, your kids are growing up in a digital world where everything is searchable, including your past.
Google is lightning fast and has an impressive memory. That Facebook photo from 2009? That comment on a message board from your college days? Even that unfortunate mugshot from spring break? They’re all potentially still out there, waiting to be discovered by your curious child, their tech savvy friends, or even their teachers.
If you’re feeling a bit anxious about what might pop up when someone searches your name, don’t worry. Taking control of your online presence is totally doable, and quicker than you might think.
Why Parents Need to Care About Their Digital Footprint
The internet has changed how privacy works. When we were younger, most of us posted without thinking twice about the long-term consequences. Now that we’re parents, everything has changed.
Did you know that according to Pew Research, 77% of adults have searched for themselves online, and nearly half weren’t happy with what they found? Yikes!
As parents, we want our kids to look up to us, not discover things we said or did years ago that no longer represent who we are today. And honestly, none of us want our children’s friends, or worse, their friends’ parents, digging through our digital past.
Step 1: Search Yourself Like a Teenager Would
First things first, you need to know what’s out there. Be thorough and check:
- Your full name
- Your name plus your town or city
- Your name combined with your job title
- Any old usernames or handles you used to use
- Google Images and Google Videos
- Old blogs, forums, or review sites where you might have been active
Pro tip: Use an incognito window when searching so your results aren’t personalized. Take time to look through the first 2 to 3 pages of results, that’s what most people will see.
I recently heard about a dad who searched his name and discovered an old MySpace blog that mentioned his past arrests. He had no idea it was still public until his son came home upset because friends were teasing him about it at school.
Remember, content doesn’t need to be scandalous to be embarrassing. Even a sarcastic tweet from 2012 can be misinterpreted or taken out of context today.
Step 2: Clean Up Accounts You Still Control
Good news: if you can log in, you can clean it up! Start here:
- Delete outdated photos, videos, and posts from Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, or Instagram
- Remove or update bio sections that contain information you wouldn’t want your kids reading
- Switch all your profiles to private mode
- Deactivate or delete accounts you no longer use
- Untag yourself from old content by removing tags or usernames
Most platforms offer tools to make this process easier. Facebook lets you limit who can see older posts with just one click. Instagram has a handy archive tool that hides posts without deleting them. For Twitter, there are third-party tools that can help you bulk delete old tweets.
A simple but effective tip: Set your full name as private on all platforms. Use a nickname or just your first name for any public-facing profile.
Step 3: Tackle Content You Don’t Control
Some online content is trickier to remove because it lives on websites you don’t own. This might include local news stories, someone else’s blog post, or old court records. Don’t lose hope, you still have options:
- Reach out directly to the website owner and politely request removal
- If something has been resolved or changed, explain your situation calmly
- For content containing personal information (like your address or legal records), use Google’s content removal tools
Google’s content removal tools can help with:
- Outdated personal details
- Misleading search results
- Inaccurate or old legal records
- Revenge posts or impersonation
- Images shared without your permission
You can request Google content removal by submitting the URLs and explaining why the content should be removed or hidden. Usually, you’ll hear back within a few days.
I know a mom in Ohio who had an old divorce case still appearing in search results. She contacted the court website and asked for it to be deindexed, then used Google’s tool to request the link be removed from results. It took about three weeks, but eventually, the result disappeared from searches.
Step 4: Bury What You Can’t Delete
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you won’t be able to remove certain content. When that happens, your next best strategy is to push it down in the search results.
Google prioritizes newer, more relevant content. So create fresh content that you want people to see:
- Update your LinkedIn profile with a professional photo and clear bio
- Create a simple personal website or blog using your name
- Write thoughtful posts on Medium or other platforms about topics you care about
- Share positive content regularly on your active social accounts
This strategy, called suppression, really works. The more quality content you create, the further down the old stuff gets pushed.
A parent in Florida experienced this firsthand when an embarrassing comment from an old parenting forum was ranking high in her Google results. She published four blog posts about her community work and became active on LinkedIn. In less than two months, her new content had replaced the old link on page one of the search results.
Step 5: Stay Vigilant Moving Forward
Once you’ve cleaned up your digital presence, maintaining it is much easier:
- Set up a Google Alert for your name to monitor new mentions
- Keep personal profiles private and be mindful of what you share
- Think twice before posting on public forums
- Do a quick search of your name once a month
- Share these practices with your kids to help them build good habits
Maintaining a clean online presence doesn’t just benefit you, it sets a powerful example for your children. They’re growing up in a world where everything they post could follow them for years. Teaching them how to manage that responsibility starts with you.
You’re More Than Your Digital Past
Everyone makes mistakes. We’ve all said things we wish we could take back. But what’s online doesn’t always disappear on its own.
The good news is that you have more control than you might think. You can shape how your name appears online. You can protect your family’s privacy without being a tech genius.
Start by searching yourself today. Clean what you can. Remove what’s harmful. Bury what won’t budge.
Remember, your kids don’t need to see the past version of you. They need the parent who’s here now, teaching them how to navigate the digital world responsibly.
