What a facial recognition removal service does
A facial recognition removal service files opt-out and deletion requests with face search engines on your behalf, as your authorized agent. Face search engines let anyone upload a photo of a stranger and get back pages where that face appears, which is how a single photo can lead to a name, a workplace or a home.
- It files the requests. One set of photos from you, then the service uses each engine’s own opt-out process.
- It follows up. Engines re-crawl the web, so a good service re-files as necessary instead of filing once.
- It shows you what was sent. You should be able to see each request, when it went out and what came back.
What a removal service cannot do
Be wary of any service that promises your face will vanish. These limits apply to every provider, including us:
- It cannot delete photos from the sites that host them. A photo on a news site, a company page or a friend’s profile stays there unless that site removes it.
- It cannot remove you from Google or social networks through a face search opt-out. Those have their own reporting tools, such as Google’s Results about you.
- It cannot guarantee an engine says yes. It can only file correctly and keep filing. It also works only with engines that have an opt-out or removal process.
What doing it yourself involves
Everything a service files, you can file yourself. Here is what the forms asked for when we checked them in October 2026:
| Engine | What its opt-out asks for |
|---|---|
| PimEyes | A photo of your face and three consents, then an anonymized ID scan with two confirmations, then your email (PimEyes opt-out form). |
| Lenso.ai | Your photo, a description, your name and email, and four consents (Lenso opt-out). |
| Social Catfish | Your state, name and email, with optional profile links and up to 8 photos (our Social Catfish guide). |
| Clearview AI | A written request to its privacy team, by email or through its privacy portal. |
- Each engine is a separate job. Different forms, different proof, different replies to track.
- Then it repeats. Engines keep crawling, so the same listings can return months later.
Six questions to ask before you hand over your photos
- Which sites do you file with, by name? Look for a public list you can check site by site.
- Do you act as my authorized agent, in writing? Many sites expect proof that a company may file for you. Ask whether you get a signed authorization you can read.
- Whose email do the requests come from? Your personal inbox should not be handed to every site. A dedicated removal address keeps it private.
- What happens to my ID? Some engines ask for one. A careful service sends a redacted copy only where an engine requires it.
- Do you re-file, and when? Ask how they handle listings that come back after a filing.
- Can I see every request? You should see what was filed, where, when and what the site replied.
How FacePrivacy answers those six questions
| Question | FacePrivacy |
|---|---|
| Which sites? | PimEyes, Clearview AI, FaceCheck.id, EyeMatch.ai, Social Catfish, Corsight.ai, ProFaceFinder and Lenso.ai, listed with what we file on our databases page. |
| Authorized agent? | Yes. You appoint us when you sign up, and each request can carry a signed Letter of Authorization built from that record. |
| Whose email? | A removal address we create for you. Your account email is never sent to the sites. |
| Your ID? | Only a redacted copy, and only for engines that require one. |
| Re-filing? | We re-file as necessary when engines re-crawl. |
| Can you see it? | Every request shows in your dashboard and the app. |
Common doubts
“Can’t I just do this myself?”
Yes, and the forms are free. Use the table above as your checklist. A service is for people who would rather not track each form and re-file when listings come back.
“Is it safe to give another company my photos?”
Ask that of every service. Ours: your photos are encrypted, used only to file your requests, never sold and never used to train AI.
“Will my face disappear from the internet?”
No service can promise that. A removal service files with the face search engines it supports and keeps filing. Photos on the sites that host them, Google and social networks need their own requests.
“What does it cost?”
See our pricing page. You can cancel from your dashboard whenever you like.
Hand the opt-out forms to us.
Upload two photos. We file opt-out requests with the face search engines we support, re-file as necessary, and track each request in your dashboard.
Start my face opt-outs →Sources
- PimEyes: Opt-out request form (checked October 2026)
- Lenso.ai: Opt-out (checked October 2026)
- Social Catfish: Request to Opt-Out form (checked October 20, 2026)
- Google Search Help: Results about you
- FacePrivacy: The sites we file with