Are you concerned about your personal information being included in Cognism’s database without your consent? As an expert in online privacy with over a decade of experience, I’ll show you exactly how to opt out of Cognism and take control of your data.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn:
- What Cognism is and what data they collect
- Why you might want to opt out
- Step-by-step instructions to remove your info
- Answers to frequently asked questions
- Tips to protect your data privacy online
So if you’re ready to get your personal details off of Cognism, let’s dive in!
What is Cognism?
Cognism is a B2B lead generation and sales intelligence platform that provides contact and company data to sales and marketing teams. Their database contains:
- 400+ million business profiles
- 10+ million company profiles
- 5+ billion data points
- Email addresses, phone numbers, job titles, etc.
Much of this data is scraped from public web sources or acquired from third-party data brokers. Individuals are often unaware their information is included.
To learn more, read our in-depth Cognism review covering key features, pricing, user reviews and more. You can also compare Cognism to top competitors like ZoomInfo, Apollo.io, Lusha and RocketReach.
Why Opt Out of Cognism?
There are several reasons you may want to remove your personal information from Cognism:
- Privacy concerns – You may not want your personal details accessible in a database without consent.
- Unwanted sales outreach – Cognism sells your info to companies who may contact you with unwanted sales emails and calls.
- Inaccurate data – Scraped and purchased third-party data in Cognism’s database is often outdated, inaccurate or irrelevant.
- Compliance requirements – Certain roles and industries have strict privacy requirements and penalties around data sharing.
If any of these apply to you, opting out is a smart proactive step. Fortunately, Cognism does provide an opt-out process.
Cognism Opt Out Instructions
Follow these steps to remove your personal data from Cognism:
- Go to the Cognism opt out page.
- Fill out the opt out form on the right side of the page with:
- First and last name
- Work email address
- Company name
- Country
- State (if in the US)
- Check the box to confirm you are not a robot.
- Click the “Opt Me Out” button to submit the request.
That’s it! After submitting the form, you should see a confirmation message that your request was received.
Cognism states they will process your opt out request within 120 hours (5 days). You can also email policy@cognism.com for status updates.
For additional confirmation, I recommend checking Cognism a week later to ensure your data has been fully removed. You can do this by searching for your name and reviewing the results.
If you’re looking for Cognism alternatives that better protect user privacy, check out our list of the top Cognism competitors with more transparent data practices.
Cognism Opt Out FAQ
Here are answers to some of the top questions about opting out of Cognism:
How long does it take Cognism to remove my data?
According to their privacy policy, Cognism will process opt out requests within 120 hours (5 days) of submission. However, I advise waiting 7-10 days to allow for any delays.
Can I opt out of Cognism by email or phone?
For US residents only, Cognism provides a toll-free number you can call to verbally request an opt out: 1-833-829-1090. You can also email policy@cognism.com for any opt out related questions or issues.
But in general, submitting the online opt out form is the fastest and easiest method.
Do I have to provide a reason for opting out?
No, Cognism does not require or ask you to provide any reason for your opt out request. It is your right to remove your personal data from their systems at any time for any reason.
What if I’m in Europe?
Cognism is based in the UK and must comply with GDPR data privacy regulations for European residents. The standard online opt out process is GDPR compliant and you should not experience any issues.
The only difference is that under GDPR’s “right of access”, you can email policy@cognism.com to request a copy of the personal data they hold on you prior to opting out.
Can I opt out other people from Cognism?
No, you can only submit an opt out request for your own personal data, not on behalf of anyone else. Cognism will cross-reference the identifying details submitted to locate your unique profile in their database.
Attempting to opt out other individuals is likely to result in rejection of the request. The only exception would be if you have legal authority to act on their behalf, such as an attorney or guardian.
Additional Data Privacy Tips
Opting out of Cognism is an important step, but there are other actions you can take to protect your data online:
- Opt out of other data brokers – Cognism is just one of hundreds of companies collecting and selling personal data. Use a service like DeleteMe to automatically opt out from dozens of major data brokers.
- Use WHOIS privacy – If you own any domain names, your personal info is likely public in the WHOIS directory and being harvested by scrapers. Enable domain privacy to hide those details.
- Google yourself – Research yourself on Google and update or remove any personal information on sites you control. Opt out or request removal of any third-party content.
- Check privacy settings – Review the privacy settings on services and accounts you use to limit data sharing. Opt out of any unnecessary collection and delete old accounts.
- Keep work and personal separate – Avoid using work email addresses or phone numbers for personal activities. Likewise, don’t conduct business on personal accounts.
While you can never completely eliminate your digital footprint, you can certainly reduce it with proactive measures and opt outs.
Key Takeaways
- Cognism is a B2B lead generation platform that collects personal and professional data into a searchable database, often without consent.
- You can remove your data from Cognism by submitting an online opt out form with basic identifying details.
- Opt out requests are typically processed within 5 business days. Contact Cognism support with any issues.
- Take additional steps like using WHOIS privacy, checking privacy settings and separating work/personal to further protect your data online.
Ultimately, taking control of your data privacy requires ongoing effort and vigilance. But opting out of Cognism is a quick and easy win that can make a real impact. Act today to preserve your privacy before your data falls into the wrong hands!
