How to Remove Your Data from GitHubStep-by-Step Guide 2026
A developer platform where personal data can reside in profiles, repositories, and commits. This guide covers the exact steps to remove your personal information, what documents they may request, and what to do if the removal fails.
Generate your free GitHub opt-out email
No name, email, or sign-up needed. Click below and we'll open a ready-to-send removal request in your own inbox — citing your legal right to deletion. Just fill in your name and email where marked, then send it directly to GitHub.
Sends to dpo@github.com · Prefer their form? Opt out on github.com directly
Want this done for every broker at once? OfflistMe sends removal requests to 500+ data brokers from your inbox and tracks re-submissions — one-time payment, no subscription.
What is GitHub?
GitHub is a developer platform and code hosting service owned by Microsoft. While primarily used for source code, personal data such as names, email addresses, and profile information can be indexed and exposed publicly in user profiles, repository metadata, and git commit history.
Data GitHub collects about you
- •Full name
- •Email addresses (including commit emails)
- •Profile picture and bio
- •SSH and GPG keys
- •Contributions and commit history
- •IP addresses and metadata
Why Your Data Appears on GitHub
Your data appears on GitHub if you created an account, contributed to a public repository, or if your personal details (like emails or SSH keys) were included in a repository's commit history or files.
Where GitHub gets your data
- →User account registration
- →Git commits and code repository files
- →Public profiles and organization memberships
Step-by-Step: How to Remove Your Data from GitHub
The opt-out process is free. Estimated time: 7-14 days for removal to take effect after completing these steps.
Find your listing on GitHub
Open github.com in a private/incognito window and search your full name together with your city or state. GitHub often shows several listings if you have lived at more than one address — identify each listing that is actually you before you start.
Copy the exact listing URL
Open your listing and copy the full URL from the address bar. GitHub's opt-out form matches on the exact listing, so the precise URL for each one is what you paste in.
Open the opt-out / suppression page
Go to https://github.com/settings/admin. If that link has moved, scroll to the github.com footer and look for "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information", "Opt Out", "Privacy" or "Suppress My Listing" — every broker operating in the US is required to expose one. Paste your listing URL into the form.
Confirm by email and submit
GitHub emails you a confirmation link to prove the request is yours. Use a real inbox you control and click the link — the removal is not queued until you confirm, and you do not need to create an account.
Re-check and repeat for every listing
Removals here typically take 7-14 days. After that window, search github.com again in a private window. Submit a separate request for each remaining listing, and use Google's "Remove Outdated Content" tool if a cached copy lingers in search results.
How Long Does GitHub Removal Take?
What Documents GitHub May Request
No government ID required
- •Your GitHub username or profile link
- •Associated email address
⚠️ Safety note on ID uploads
GitHub does not require a government ID for standard account deletion or data erasure requests.
What to Do If GitHub Removal Fails
If the standard opt-out process does not work, follow these escalation steps in order:
If your GitHub listing reappears within 30–60 days, simply re-submit the opt-out. Re-listing after a new public record is normal and does not mean your first request failed.
If the opt-out form is broken or the link has moved, email dpo@github.com with the subject "Do Not Sell / Delete — Personal Information" and a clear statement of your request plus your listing URL.
If GitHub still does not comply within 45 days, file a complaint with your state Attorney General and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. California residents can additionally report non-compliance to the CPPA at cppa.ca.gov.
Alternative Options
🔧 Manual removal (free)
The opt-out above is free and works for GitHub specifically. The catch is that GitHub is only one of 500+ data brokers — to actually disappear you would repeat a similar process for each site, which is typically 20–40 hours of research and follow-up.
⚡ Automated removal (OfflistMe)
OfflistMe covers 500+ data brokers including GitHub for a single one-time payment. Instead of hunting down each broker's opt-out page, OfflistMe surfaces the correct opt-out link or privacy email and pre-generates a properly worded removal request for each one. You send it from your own inbox — the same legal outcome as doing it by hand, without the hours of research.
Generate the GitHub opt-out email →Frequently Asked Questions
Know the laws behind this request
Every deletion request you send to GitHub cites specific statutes. These explainers show what each law covers, what the broker must do, and how enforcement works.
Don't stop at GitHub
Your data is on 500+ brokers, not just GitHub. OfflistMe covers all of them with a single one-time payment, no subscription, no account needed.