Clearview AI has scraped over 30 billion photos from the internet to build the world's largest facial recognition database — and your face is almost certainly in it. Here's how to submit an opt-out request and remove your biometric data from their system.
What Is Clearview AI?
Clearview AI is a controversial facial recognition company that scrapes publicly available photos from social media platforms, news sites, and other online sources. Law enforcement agencies across the country use its technology to identify suspects, but the company has faced numerous lawsuits and regulatory actions for collecting biometric data without consent.
Unlike traditional data brokers that collect names, addresses, and phone numbers, Clearview AI builds a biometric profile based on your facial features. This makes it uniquely invasive — your face is not something you can easily change.
What Data Does Clearview AI Have?
Clearview AI's database may include:
- Photos of your face scraped from social media, news articles, and public websites
- Links to the original source of each photo
- A biometric faceprint derived from your facial features
- Any publicly associated metadata, such as names or locations tied to the images
Important
Even if you've deleted photos from social media, Clearview AI may still have copies in their database. Their scraping is continuous, so photos posted even briefly may have been captured.
How to Opt Out of Clearview AI
Step 1: Visit the Privacy Request Page
Go to Clearview AI's official privacy and requests page at clearview.ai/privacy-and-requests. You can also access it by scrolling to the bottom of their homepage and clicking "Privacy & Requests" in the footer.
Step 2: Select Your Request Type
Clearview AI offers several options:
- Delete My Information — removes your photos and biometric data from their database
- Do Not Sell/Share My Information — prevents them from selling or sharing your data with third parties
- Access My Information — lets you see what data they have on you
- Correct My Information — allows you to fix inaccuracies
- Limit Use and Disclosure of Sensitive Personal Information — restricts how they process your data
For maximum privacy protection, submit both a Delete My Information and a Do Not Sell/Share My Information request.
Step 3: Complete the Form
You'll need to provide:
- Your email address
- A clear photo of your face (so they can locate your records in their database)
- Completion of a CAPTCHA verification
Step 4: Confirm Your Email
Clearview AI will send a confirmation link to your email address. Click "Confirm email" to validate your request. Your request won't be processed until you complete this step.
Step 5: Wait for Processing
Clearview AI is required to process your request within the timeframe mandated by your state's privacy law — typically 45 days. You should receive a confirmation once the deletion is complete.
Alternative Method: Email Request
If you prefer not to use the online form, you can email your opt-out request directly to privacy@clearview.ai. Include your full name, state of residence, and a photo for identification purposes.
Who Is Eligible to Opt Out?
Clearview AI processes opt-out requests from residents of states with applicable privacy laws, including:
- California (CCPA/CPRA)
- Illinois (BIPA)
- Colorado (CPA)
- Connecticut (CTDPA)
- Virginia (VCDPA)
- Utah (UCPA)
Even if you don't live in one of these states, it's worth submitting a request. Clearview AI has settled lawsuits requiring broader compliance, and many residents outside these states have reported successful deletions.
Will the Opt-Out Be Permanent?
Unfortunately, opting out of Clearview AI may not be permanent. Because the company continuously scrapes publicly available images from across the internet, your photos could reappear in their database if new images of you are posted online. This means you may need to:
- Periodically resubmit your opt-out request
- Minimize the number of photos of you posted publicly online
- Adjust privacy settings on social media to limit public access to your photos
- Ask friends and family to avoid tagging you in public posts
Additional Steps to Protect Your Biometric Privacy
Opting out of Clearview AI is just one step. To more fully protect your biometric privacy:
- Audit your social media privacy settings — set your profiles and photos to private or friends-only
- Reverse-image search yourself — use Google Images to see where your photos appear online and request removal
- Opt out of other facial recognition services — PimEyes and Facecheck.id are other facial recognition search engines that may have your data
- Remove photos from data broker sites — many people-search sites display profile photos alongside your personal information
How PrivacyOn Can Help
Manually tracking and re-submitting opt-out requests to services like Clearview AI is time-consuming and easy to forget. PrivacyOn monitors over 100 data broker and people-search sites on your behalf, automatically submitting removal requests and verifying that your data stays removed. While Clearview AI requires a separate direct request, removing your information from the data brokers that feed photos and personal data into these systems is a critical layer of protection.
With 24/7 monitoring and continuous re-checks, PrivacyOn ensures that when your data reappears — and it will — it gets removed again without you having to lift a finger.