How Does the Scanning Process Work?
Understanding every part of the scanning process can seem intimidating, but we are here to walk you through every step so you can know precisely how we are finding your information and working to keep it safe.
The information below applies to a Pro or Free account, though some aspects (like the removal requests process) can only be found in a Pro Account. Please take a look at this article if you'd like more information on our plans and what they do.
When you first sign up and as we continue scanning for your information, all of these exposures appear in what we call the "Pending" section. When an exposure is "Pending", our scans have found it, but action has yet to be taken. Next, we have to determine the best method to send a data removal request because it's different for every site. If you have a Free Account, then this is where you will find the sites to begin your manual removal process using our DIY guides.
If you want more information on the manual removal process, look at this guide!
After we begin processing the "Pending" exposures, we will move them to the "Requested" category as we work to send in removal requests. The time they stay in the "Requested" category will vary depending on the site. To understand that process, look at our "When Will 'Requested' Be Completed?" FAQ article!
The "Not Found" section on the exposures dashboard shows that we found information that didn't fully match what you gave us or that no information was found on you. These sites get rescanned as time goes on, but if your information appears in "Not Found," then we cannot locate it on that site.
Finally, the "Closed" section can mean something different for each site. Still, generally speaking, closed means that the site has accepted the information removal request, and as such, the exposure is "Closed." For example, suppose the site's information is locked behind a paywall. In that case, any sites that we have sent proactive deletion requests to, aka requests for data to be deleted on the assumption they have it on their site without being able to confirm, will also appear as closed because there is no more we can do for those sites in particular.
These steps display our process of deleting your information, but note that sometimes sites reappear, so we constantly scan to detect your information. Our goal is to protect your privacy at all times, which means rescanning the sites where we have successfully removed your information in case it reappears.
We provide a vast collection of support resources to help you make the most of your External Data Privacy protection with Privacy Bee.
Still can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact a customer support representative directly.
Contact Us
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The information below applies to a Pro or Free account, though some aspects (like the removal requests process) can only be found in a Pro Account. Please take a look at this article if you'd like more information on our plans and what they do.
When you first sign up and as we continue scanning for your information, all of these exposures appear in what we call the "Pending" section. When an exposure is "Pending", our scans have found it, but action has yet to be taken. Next, we have to determine the best method to send a data removal request because it's different for every site. If you have a Free Account, then this is where you will find the sites to begin your manual removal process using our DIY guides.
If you want more information on the manual removal process, look at this guide!
After we begin processing the "Pending" exposures, we will move them to the "Requested" category as we work to send in removal requests. The time they stay in the "Requested" category will vary depending on the site. To understand that process, look at our "When Will 'Requested' Be Completed?" FAQ article!
The "Not Found" section on the exposures dashboard shows that we found information that didn't fully match what you gave us or that no information was found on you. These sites get rescanned as time goes on, but if your information appears in "Not Found," then we cannot locate it on that site.
Finally, the "Closed" section can mean something different for each site. Still, generally speaking, closed means that the site has accepted the information removal request, and as such, the exposure is "Closed." For example, suppose the site's information is locked behind a paywall. In that case, any sites that we have sent proactive deletion requests to, aka requests for data to be deleted on the assumption they have it on their site without being able to confirm, will also appear as closed because there is no more we can do for those sites in particular.
These steps display our process of deleting your information, but note that sometimes sites reappear, so we constantly scan to detect your information. Our goal is to protect your privacy at all times, which means rescanning the sites where we have successfully removed your information in case it reappears.
Didn't find what you were looking for?
We provide a vast collection of support resources to help you make the most of your External Data Privacy protection with Privacy Bee.
Still can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact a customer support representative directly.
Contact Us
Return to top
Updated on: 03/11/2025
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