How to delete your Equal account

About deleting your Equal account

Equal functions as an identity technology platform designed to streamline how users verify and share their credentials across digital services. By acting as a central hub for identity proofing, the service aggregates sensitive documentation, biographical information, and verified status credentials to facilitate seamless logins and KYC (Know Your Customer) processes for connected partners.

Users may choose to delete their Equal account for several service-specific reasons, primarily centering on data consolidation risks. Because Equal maintains a persistent record of your verified identity, many users prefer to revoke access once they have completed a specific verification task to minimize their digital footprint. Key reasons for deletion include:

• Reducing the number of third-party platforms holding your government-issued ID data.
• Terminating authorization for Equal to act as a permanent proxy for your personal identity.
• Discontinuing the use of Equal's identity sharing features across third-party applications.

What happens to your data

When you request the deletion of your Equal account, the service initiates a process to purge your profile from their active databases. While Equal typically removes the primary account interface, users should be aware that the identity artifacts—such as proof of residency or document scans—may have already been shared with third-party service providers connected via Equal. The following data is typically addressed during the deletion process:

• Personal biographical identifiers like full legal name, date of birth, and contact details.
• Uploaded government identification documents used for verification.
• Historical logs of the platforms where your identity was verified using the Equal service.
• Device metadata and browser fingerprinting data used for security authentication.

Equal may be legally required to retain certain records related to financial transactions or compliance logs for a set period, even after an account deletion request, to satisfy anti-money laundering and regulatory mandates.

Privacy considerations

Using a centralized identity service like Equal introduces specific privacy tradeoffs. By consolidating your credentials in one place, you gain convenience but increase the impact of a potential data exposure. To protect your privacy while using or departing from the platform, consider these steps:

• Revoke active session tokens from any third-party websites that have linked your Equal identity.
• Request a copy of your personal data before initiating deletion to see exactly what Equal has indexed about you.
• Monitor your email and associated accounts for any follow-up identity verification requests that may stem from previous Equal interactions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does deleting my Equal account automatically notify the third-party services I used it for?

No, deleting your Equal account removes your profile from their platform, but third-party services that have already received your verified information may still hold their own records of that data.

Can I recover my verified status if I delete my Equal account?

No, deletion is generally permanent. If you decide to use the service again, you will need to re-verify your identity from scratch.

Does Equal store my physical identity documents after verification?

Equal processes and stores digital representations of your documentation to facilitate future identity assertions as part of their core service model.

How long does it take for Equal to process a deletion request?

While timelines vary, you should receive a confirmation from their support team once your data removal request has been processed internally.

Is there a way to delete my data without contacting support?

Currently, the protocol for account removal on Equal requires direct contact with their support team through the official website channels.

Will deleting my Equal account stop third-party tracking?

It will stop Equal from mediating your identity, but it does not retroactively remove data already stored or tracked by the individual partners you previously authorized.