Remove my photos from face search engines
Remove my photos from face search engines: what each documented opt-out does, what it cannot touch, and the source-side routes that must follow.
To remove your photos from face search engines, you file the opt-out or removal request that each service publishes, one service at a time, and then deal with the pages the photos came from. An opt-out stops a service from showing a photo as a match. It does not delete the page that holds the photo.
A face search engine takes a photo of a face, converts it into a numeric template, and returns web pages where a similar face appears. The services differ in what they index, who can search, and what they promise on removal. This guide describes only the processes we could read on the services' own pages and labels each jurisdiction. It is information, not legal advice.
- A face search engine stores a template of faces found on public web pages and links back to those pages. Removing your photos means asking each service to hide your matches.
- The opt-out processes we read ask you to prove the photo is yours, by selfie, by a photo of your face, or by an anonymized ID document, depending on the service.
- No opt-out removes the source page. PimEyes says so in its own words and FaceCheck.ID disclaims third-party sites, so the source owner, the platform and the search-engine request still matter.
- Where you live decides whether you also hold a legal right to object. The EU, the UK, Illinois, a list of US states and Australia are covered below, each labeled.
What face search engines index and how a match is made
A face search engine indexes images of faces from public web pages and stores a template of each face plus a link to the page. It does not hold the page. PimEyes says in its opt-out form that it holds face fingerprints of photos found on publicly available websites, and no other information about you before you file. FaceCheck.ID says on its home page that its images are "indexed from public, readily available web pages only", and its FAQ says it caches a tiny low-resolution thumbnail of a face plus a link, and does not store the original source images.
The service holds a template and a pointer. If the pointer leads to a page you can have changed, the match changes. If it leads to a page you cannot touch, the best the service can do is stop returning it.
Related readRemove Voter Registration Information OnlineThe services differ once you read them side by side:
- FaceCheck.ID lists result categories on its home page that include Social Media, News & Blogs and Mugshots. Its FAQ says it does not scrape or circumvent the anti-scraping protections of social media platforms and relies only on third-party public data. The home page lists a social media category and the FAQ describes its collection method; neither page says which sites a given result came from. Test your own results instead of assuming.
- search4faces lists collections of avatars and profile photos from VK, OK, TikTok and Clubhouse, plus a public figures collection.
- Clearview AI says on its privacy request page that it only collects publicly available images and data. Its home page menu lists audiences such as public safety and federal agencies, and shows no public search box. It is included here because it publishes request forms for people whose faces it may hold.
A match is a similarity score, not an identification. The PimEyes FAQ states that it does not guarantee that all images of you will be found, so an empty result does not prove that no copy exists.
What a face search opt-out removes, and what it cannot
An opt-out removes the match from that one service. It leaves the source page, every other service and every other search engine untouched.
Two consequences follow. If the source page stays online, a crawler can index the same face again later, and the pages we read promise otherwise only in two places: Clearview's Illinois path below, and a lenso.ai guide that says removed images will not be re-indexed. And an opt-out can cost you your own view: FaceCheck.ID says hidden photos do not appear in new searches, and that includes yours. Run the audit first, then file.
The source page is the page, post or profile that holds the photo. If it is yours, delete or replace the photo; no request is needed. If it is another person's, ask the owner, then the web host, then use the platform's report form. If it is a platform you use, start with its privacy settings.
The search-engine layer sits above all three. Google's help page on personal contact information states that removing a result "doesn't mean that the info is gone from the internet". That page does not cover personal images. The same rule applies to a face search opt-out: hiding a result and removing a page are different outcomes.
Related readRemove Bankruptcy From Search Results: What Can GoWhat each service documents, as read in its own pages
This summary is limited to what each page says, as of the pages read. Check each page before filing, because these processes change.
| Service | What the page documents | Proof asked | Stated limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| PimEyes | Opt-out request form; policy lists access, deletion and objection rights | Face photo, anonymized ID scan, email | Cannot take the photo down at the source |
| FaceCheck.ID | Remove My Photos page, free, select photos after a search | Selfie, or anonymized ID | Silent on third-party copies; may decline some cases |
| Clearview AI | Privacy request webforms for listed US states; Illinois opt-out form | Not stated on the page | Copyright form only for copyright holders |
| search4faces | Opt-out form; email for single images | FAQ says requests may need proof | Removes from its results; not the source |
| lenso.ai | Opt-out request per its own blog guide | Guide: country, reason, contact details, search image | Opt-out page not readable for this guide |
PimEyes
The opt-out form asks for a clear photo of your face, an anonymized scan of an ID or passport that you confirm contains no sensitive data, and an email address. You also confirm you are over 18. The page does not state a processing time. The privacy policy says data from opt-out requests is kept for no more than 96 hours and lists a right to object and a right to delete.
FaceCheck.ID
The Remove My Photos page describes a self-service flow. You search with your own photo, choose the photos to remove, and confirm they are yours by selfie, or by an anonymized ID document that goes to manual review. Selected photos are hidden immediately, and after approval the photos and any uploaded document are permanently deleted. Selfie requests are mostly approved instantly, and ID requests take 1 to 5 business days. The page reserves the right not to remove photos of child sex offenders, convicted rapists and other violent criminals who could pose physical harm to innocent people. It does not say whether removal reaches third-party copies. The page and the FAQ both say removal is free.
Clearview AI
Clearview documents its processes through a privacy portal, by state. The privacy request page lists webforms for California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Utah and Virginia, with actions varying by state (access, delete or opt out, correct, and in some states appeal). Illinois has a separate opt-out webform, to opt out of appearing in Clearview search results: Clearview says it will block the Illinois information from being returned by future searches, while keeping it where legal preservation obligations require. The page does not state what identification is required or response times, and does not address other states, so expect identity verification. Its DMCA form is for copyright holders only.
Related readRemove Your Date of Birth From the Internetsearch4faces
The search4faces FAQ says you can request removal of your images from its results through the form on its opt-out page, or by email. For a single image you email a link and a short reason, and that route is free. The FAQ says removal requests may need proof, and that support usually replies within 24 hours. The opt-out page does not say what proof is required. Its listed databases are mostly avatars and profile photos from social platforms, so the source you then fix is usually the platform profile.
lenso.ai
The lenso.ai guide to its image opt-out request says the form asks for your country of residence, a short reason, your contact details and the image you searched with, and that a confirmation email and then a decision email follow. It adds that once images are removed from the index they will not be re-indexed. The opt-out page itself could not be read for this guide, because the site disallows automated access, so treat the guide as the service's description, not a tested process.
The order of work that makes an opt-out last
Start with the audit, then fix sources, then file the opt-outs. This order matters because an opt-out filed first can leave you unable to see what remains, and because a source fixed first stops the next crawl from reintroducing the match.
- Search with your own photosUse two or three clear photos of your face on each service. Save the result pages and the URLs, with the date.
- Sort matches by who controls the pageMark each result as yours, another person's, or a platform's, and mark any that are not your face.
- Fix the pages you controlDelete, replace or hide your own photos. This is the only step that removes the source for certain.
- Ask the owner of each other pageWrite to the owner, then the web host. Use the platform's report form for platform pages and keep the reference number.
- File the search-engine request where it appliesGoogle's personal information request covers contact details and ID numbers, so it fits only if the page shows those.
- File each face-service opt-outFollow the process the service publishes. Record the date, the confirmation and any tracking link.
- Search again and diary a recheckRepeat the searches after the stated processing times, then after a few weeks and a few months.
Each layer answers a different question. The page owner and the platform decide whether the photo stays online. The search-engine request decides whether a regular search shows the page. The face-service opt-out decides whether a face match shows it. Do only step six and the next crawl can bring the matches back.
Related readHide Your Employer Online: Source-by-Source RoutesWhich route fits which match
The route follows who controls the page and what it contains.
| Route | What it removes | Speed | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edit your own page | The photo at the source | Minutes | Cached copies remain for a time |
| Ask the page owner | The photo at the source, if they agree | Days to weeks | No reply, or a public reply |
| Platform report | Content that breaks the platform's rules | Days | Refusal if the rules are not met |
| Search-engine request | A result for regular searches | Days to weeks | Page stays online |
| Face-service opt-out | The match inside that service | Instant to days, per the page | New crawls, other services remain |
| Copyright notice | The copy of a work you own | Days | Only for photos you took or own |
| Privacy-law objection | Processing by the service, where law applies | Weeks (legal clock) | Needs the right jurisdiction |
The speed column holds usual ranges and the services' own stated times, not promises. A copyright notice only fits if you hold the copyright: a selfie you took is yours, a professional portrait usually is not.
What the law may add, by country
A privacy law can give you a right to object to a face search service, but the service may dispute that the law applies to it. Everything below is information, labeled by jurisdiction.
European Union and the GDPR
The GDPR bars processing of biometric data used to uniquely identify a person under Article 9(1), with explicit consent as one exception in Article 9(2)(a). Article 21(1) gives a right to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to processing based on legitimate interest; the controller must stop unless it shows compelling legitimate grounds that override your interests, or needs the data for legal claims. The European Commission explains this right for individuals. Article 17(1)(c) links erasure to a successful objection with no overriding legitimate grounds. Article 12(3) sets a response time of one month, extendable by two months with reasons. The EUR-Lex copy of the Regulation returned truncated text for these articles, so we read the articles themselves on the UK government's legislation.gov.uk copy of the Regulation as adopted, the Commission page above, and an EDPB guidelines document for Articles 9 and 21. Check the current consolidated text before relying on article numbers.
The Dutch data protection authority fined Clearview AI 30.5 million euros, saying it holds more than 30 billion photos and converts faces into biometric codes without people's knowledge or consent. That decision concerns one company. It does not decide what any other service owes you.
Related readHide Your Home Address on Company RegistersUnited Kingdom
The ICO fined Clearview 7.5 million pounds in May 2022. In October 2025 the Upper Tribunal upheld three of the ICO's four grounds of appeal and returned the case to the First-tier Tribunal to decide the full appeal. An update on the ICO page dated 19 December 2025 says the Upper Tribunal granted Clearview permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal, so as of that page the matter was not settled.
Illinois
The Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, in Section 10 as amended, counts a scan of face geometry as a biometric identifier. Section 20 gives a person aggrieved by a violation a right of action in a State circuit court. We could not read Section 15, which holds the consent rules, so we do not describe them. Clearview's Illinois opt-out form exists in that setting. Whether a claim is open to you depends on facts a lawyer must assess.
Australia
In a determination announced in November 2021, the Australian Information Commissioner found that Clearview AI breached the Privacy Act 1988, including by collecting sensitive information without consent, and ordered it to stop collecting facial images and biometric templates from people in Australia and to destroy what it held. That finding concerns Clearview only.
For any country not listed, the service's own opt-out is the practical route. We did not read national sources for other countries and do not state their rules.
Writing a privacy-law objection to a face search service
When the service gives no suitable form, or has refused, a short written objection can follow one structure whatever the law. This is information, not legal advice: your own counsel decides whether and how to file.
Related readProtect family privacy online from your public profile- Who you are, and the proof you will give. Offer the proof the service itself asks for, such as a selfie or anonymized ID.
- The law you rely on, by name, and where you live. An EU resident would name Article 21 of the GDPR. Do not cite a law you have not read.
- What you ask for. That the service stop returning matches for your face, delete the template, and confirm in writing.
- The matches found. The URLs and the dates you saw them.
- The deadline. In the EU, one month under Article 12(3). Do not invent one for a jurisdiction you have not read.
- What you will do without an answer. Say you will contact the data protection authority for your area.
A realistic timeline
An opt-out can take effect in minutes at one service and weeks at another, and the source work usually takes longest. Take an invented scenario: a person finds three matches, a conference speaker page, an old club roster and a forum thread, and files at a service with a selfie flow and one with a 24-hour reply window.
| Stage | Usual time | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Audit and evidence | 1 to 2 days | Our usual range |
| Edit own page, ask owners | Same day, then 1 to 4 weeks | Our usual range |
| FaceCheck.ID selfie request | Instant | Stated on its page |
| FaceCheck.ID ID request | 1 to 5 business days | Stated on its page |
| search4faces reply | Within 24 hours, usually | Stated in its FAQ |
| EU objection response | One month, up to three with extension | GDPR Article 12(3) |
| Recheck of results | At 4 weeks, then 3 months | Our usual practice |
PimEyes and Clearview do not state processing times on the pages we read, so do not plan around one.
From the FaceCheck.ID Remove My Photos page, GDPR Article 12(3) as read on legislation.gov.uk, and the PimEyes opt-out form and FaceCheck.ID removal page.
Mistakes that make a removal fail or return
- Opting out before the audit. You lose your own view and have no record of what was there.
- Uploading more than the page asks for. An ID with every field visible is a data-handling risk.
- Claiming copyright you do not hold. Clearview's page says only copyright holders may file, and search4faces ties its notice to 17 U.S.C. section 512(c)(3), with a warning about liability for misrepresentation.
- A public fight. A loud post draws attention to the page, and an article about the removal attempt can become the next result. This is the Streisand effect.
The concrete next step
Run the audit before you file anything: two or three photos of your face, each service, results saved with dates.
If a face search shows photos tied to a sensitive page, a leak or an old record, send us the saved results. We will map which route fits each match and in what order, in a private audit with no obligation. Request a private audit.
For source pages you cannot change, our removal service page explains what is usually possible. Reputation Partners works from the routes above, and tells you plainly when one will fail.
Questions people ask
Can I run a search with my own face before I opt out?
Yes, and the FaceCheck.ID flow starts from one. Read each retention statement first: the PimEyes privacy policy says photos from users without an account are stored for 48 hours, and the FaceCheck.ID FAQ says a search is stored for 24 hours. Save results with dates before you file.
Will my photos come back after I opt out?
They can. The pages we read mostly describe hiding matches that exist now. Only Clearview's Illinois form and a lenso.ai guide speak to future searches. If the source page stays online, a later crawl may find it, so fix the source and recheck after a few weeks.
Do I need to send a government ID?
It depends. PimEyes asks for an anonymized ID scan. FaceCheck.ID offers a selfie as the fast route and ID as the fallback. Under the GDPR, Article 12(6) lets a controller ask for more information where it has reasonable doubts about your identity. Send the least the page asks for.
Is it legal for these services to index my face?
No single answer covers it. Regulators in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Australia have acted against Clearview, and Illinois has a private right of action over face geometry. Those decisions concern one company. Ask counsel in your jurisdiction before considering a claim.
What if a service ignores my request?
Check the stated time on its page and keep the confirmation. Under the GDPR a controller must respond within one month, extendable with reasons. Without a response, the usual next step is a complaint to the data protection authority for your area. Where no such law applies, a written follow-up and the source-side routes remain.
Can I file for my child or someone else?
The pages we read do not describe filing on another person's behalf. PimEyes asks the requester to confirm they are over 18, and Google's page says requests for other people go through its detailed form. FaceCheck.ID says its AI is trained not to index children's faces. For a child, write to the service and the source owner and ask how they handle it.
