What the internet knows about you...

... and by extension, everyone... 

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Any search engine can quickly reveal your phone number, address and family information with a surprising level of detail.

• It can be instantly culled on the open web from sites like White Pages and Spokeo.

Why it matters: This information, combined with social media posts, can be used by anyone to intimidate, harass, or stalk high-visibility people like politicians, business leaders, celebrities and journalists.

• And it's getting easier for trolls to find specific information about all of us as we go about our daily lives.

The big picture: Finding personal information online is relatively easy; removing all of it is nearly impossible.

• However, going through smart opt-out processes can reduce your online footprint, making it more difficult for malicious actors to target you.

Here's how.