The Ethical OSINT Charter

The rules FootprintIQ refuses to break: public data only, no resale, no surveillance. The charter that defines ethical OSINT for self-audit.

Run a Free Scan Username Search

Privacy-First Intelligence

The Ethical OSINT Charter

Ethical OSINT means looking at yourself the way the internet already can — using only public data, with consent, and without creating new harm.

This charter is the standard FootprintIQ is built to, published so anyone can hold us to it: public-data-only intelligence, consent-based scanning, responsible risk awareness — never surveillance.

Explore How It Works

Core Principles

Every scan, every analysis, and every report follows these six commitments.

Public Data Only

We analyse only publicly accessible information. No private accounts. No hacking. No bypassing privacy controls.

Consent-Based Scanning

Users initiate scans on themselves or entities they have authority to assess.

No Data Brokerage

We do not sell personal dossiers or monetise personal profiles.

Exposure Intelligence, Not Exploitation

We surface risk so users can make informed privacy decisions.

Probability, Not Identity Claims

We use confidence scoring rather than asserting hard identity matches.

Transparency by Design

We clearly explain what we collect, why, and how it is used.

What We Refuse To Do

These are product constraints, not marketing lines — enforced in code and policy.

No dark-web scraping

We do not buy, index, or resell dark-web dumps. Breach exposure is checked against legitimate, documented sources.

No data brokering

We never sell, resell, license, or share scan data. Your results are yours; we are not a people-search site.

No background checks

FootprintIQ is not a consumer-reporting tool and must not be used for employment, tenancy, credit, or insurance decisions.

No private-account scraping

If it is not publicly accessible, it is not in your report. No logins bypassed, no paywalled data.

No stalking or harassment use

Scanning is designed around self-audit and consent; abusive usage patterns are detected and blocked.

No hoarding

Anonymous scans need no account, and unpaid image uploads are deleted automatically within two hours. We keep the minimum needed to show you your own history.

Where FootprintIQ Fits — and Where It Doesn't

Honesty about scope is part of the charter. FootprintIQ is the discovery and prioritisation layer of a privacy stack — the map, not the whole journey.

See your full public exposure and what matters most → FootprintIQ

Hands-off, automated data-broker deletion → a removal service (see our honest Incogni comparison)

Free alerts when your email appears in a known breach → Have I Been Pwned (what to do after HIBP)

Enterprise investigations and case management → heavier OSINT suites

Why We Do Not Remove Data

FootprintIQ maps digital exposure. We do not directly remove data from third-party platforms. This is an intentional design decision — we believe informed action starts with visibility.

Show where exposure exists across public sources

Provide remediation pathways and actionable guidance

Link to official opt-out mechanisms for data brokers

Enable strategic action based on verified intelligence

Who This Charter Serves

Individuals protecting personal privacy

Journalists and NGOs

Small businesses

Security-conscious professionals

Frequently Asked Questions

Does FootprintIQ access private accounts?

No. FootprintIQ only analyses publicly available data. We never access private accounts, bypass authentication, or scrape behind logins.

Is FootprintIQ a data broker?

No. FootprintIQ does not sell personal data, compile dossiers for third parties, or monetise user profiles. We are an exposure intelligence tool designed for self-assessment.

Do you remove data?

FootprintIQ does not directly remove data from third-party platforms. We identify where exposure exists and provide remediation pathways, including links to official opt-out mechanisms.

How is this different from DeleteMe or Incogni?

DeleteMe and Incogni focus on automated removal requests to data brokers. FootprintIQ focuses on broader digital exposure mapping — username reuse, breach signals, and public account discovery — giving you visibility before deciding what action to take.

Does FootprintIQ search the dark web?

We never crawl, scrape, or collect from dark-web sources ourselves, and we do not buy dumps. Dark-web and breach exposure signals come from licensed, reputable breach-intelligence providers — so you can see whether your identifiers appear in that material without FootprintIQ touching it directly.

Can I scan someone else?

Only with their consent. Self-audit and consent-based checks — a family member, or a client engagement — are supported; surveillance is not, and abusive usage patterns are blocked.

Is this legal?

Yes. FootprintIQ only accesses publicly available information — the same data anyone can find through search engines and public databases. We follow ethical OSINT principles and never access private systems or bypass security measures.

Learn More

How FootprintIQ Works Trust & Safety Privacy Policy FAQ Pricing Plans

The Ethical OSINT Charter

FootprintIQ

FootprintIQ — Ethical Digital Footprint Intelligence

FootprintIQ is an ethical digital footprint intelligence platform. We use open-source intelligence (OSINT) techniques to help people understand their online exposure — without surveillance, monitoring, or invasive data collection. Our platform scans usernames across 500+ social media platforms and forums, detects email breaches, identifies data broker listings, and provides probability-based confidence analysis using our proprietary LENSiQ engine — all built on publicly available data with full transparency.

Scanning Capabilities

Username search across 500+ social platforms, forums, and developer communities
Email breach detection using multiple data sources including Have I Been Pwned
Data broker exposure identification across major people-search aggregators
Phone number lookups and reverse phone intelligence (Pro plan)
Name-based people search aggregation and cross-referencing
Dark web mention monitoring for leaked credentials and personal data
LENSiQ AI confidence scoring to reduce false positives and improve result accuracy

Our Ethical Principles

Public data only — we never access private accounts or bypass authentication
No surveillance, monitoring, or tracking of individuals
User-initiated scans with full informed consent
LENSiQ provides probability-based analysis, not identity confirmation
Designed for ethical self-audit as the safest and most responsible use case
Transparent methodology — we explain exactly how our tools work

Privacy & Data Removal Resources

FootprintIQ provides comprehensive guides for removing personal information from the internet, including step-by-step data broker opt-out instructions for sites like Spokeo, BeenVerified, and MyLife. Our Privacy Centre gives you full control over your data, and our guides cover Google content removal, address removal from Google Maps, and strategies for cleaning up your digital footprint after a data breach.

Educational Content & Research

Explore our blog covering topics like what is OSINT, how data brokers work, username reuse risks, identity theft prevention, and the role of AI in modern intelligence gathering. Our 2026 Username Reuse Report and Digital Exposure Report provide research-backed insights into online privacy trends. Visit our AI Answers Hub for instant, expert-level responses to your digital privacy and OSINT questions.

Who Uses FootprintIQ

Individuals auditing their own digital footprint, job seekers preparing for employer background checks, developers checking for leaked credentials, crypto users protecting wallet-linked identities, executives managing impersonation risks, and security professionals conducting authorised investigations. FootprintIQ is not a data broker, people-search site, surveillance tool, or background check service.