Right now, there are photos of you floating around the internet that you've never seen. Old social media posts, event photos, news articles, company websites, background shots from someone else's vacation. Some you posted and forgot about. Others were posted by someone else without your permission.
The plan · 5 steps
- 1Build Your Facial Profile
- 2Switch to ChatGPT Work
- 3Run the Reverse Image Search
- 4Compile and Categorize
- 5Get Photos Removed
Until recently, finding all of them was basically impossible. But ChatGPT Work changed that. The desktop app has a real browser built into it, so ChatGPT can run reverse image searches, visit sites, and compile results for you while you watch. Combined with the right prompts, you can find nearly every public photo of yourself in a single sitting, then have ChatGPT write custom takedown requests for every one.
What is ChatGPT Work? It's the mode in the ChatGPT desktop app that comes with a browser built right in, so ChatGPT can visit websites, click through pages, and gather information in real time on the same screen as you. It's not just generating text, it's actively searching the internet for you. Work is on every paid plan, and Free and Go get a limited amount in the desktop app.
What You Need Before Starting
- The ChatGPT desktop app from chatgpt.com/download (that's where the built-in browser lives). Free and Go get limited Work, paid plans get more
- One clear, front-facing selfie with good lighting and no sunglasses
- Optional extra photos at different angles, ages, or hairstyles
- Your full name plus any maiden names, nicknames, or usernames
- 30 to 60 minutes of uninterrupted time
ChatGPT searches everything that's public, which is exactly what a stranger, a recruiter or a date sees when they look you up.
Build Your Facial Profile
Open a new ChatGPT chat, upload your clearest selfie, and paste this prompt. It tells ChatGPT to build a detailed identity profile so it knows what to look for.
I've uploaded a photo of myself. Analyze this photo in detail and create a comprehensive description of my appearance that could be used to identify me in other photos. Include: - Face shape and structure - Hair color, style, and length - Eye color and shape - Skin tone - Any distinguishing features (freckles, scars, dimples, etc.) - Approximate age range - Build and body type - Any other unique identifiers Be as specific as possible. This description will be used to search for me in other photos online.
Review the profile it gives you and correct anything wrong. If you have older photos with different hair or glasses, upload 2 or 3 more and say: "Here are additional photos of me at different times. Update my profile to account for how my appearance has changed."
Switch to ChatGPT Work
In the desktop app, flip the Chat/Work switch at the top to Work. Stay in the same conversation so it keeps the appearance profile you just built. In a normal chat ChatGPT just generates text. In Work, with the built-in browser, it opens real websites, visits real pages, and reads them while you watch on the same screen.
Run the Reverse Image Search
With ChatGPT Work open, paste this. Start it with @Browser so it uses the built-in browser. It will take a while, so let it work.
@Browser Using my photo and the appearance profile you just built, I need you to find everywhere I appear online. Do the following searches: 1. Go to Google Images and do a reverse image search using my photo. Check every result. 2. Go to TinEye (tineye.com) and run the same reverse image search there. 3. Search Google for my name: [YOUR FULL NAME] and check the Images tab for any matches. 4. Search for my name on these platforms: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, TikTok. For every match you find, give me: - The website URL (direct link) - What type of site it is - Description of the photo - Whether I appear to have posted it or someone else did Compile everything into one list.
Compile and Categorize
Do a quick manual sweep for anything the browser missed, then paste the URLs back in with this prompt.
Here are additional results I found by searching manually: [Paste your additional URLs here] Combine these with everything you found earlier. Create one master list of every place I appear online, organized by category: 1. Photos I posted myself 2. Photos posted by others 3. Photos on company or org sites 4. Photos on news or media sites 5. Photos on data broker sites 6. Unknown or unclear source For each one, note whether I can request removal and how.
Get Photos Removed
A generic "please remove my photo" email gets ignored. A specific request that references the right policies gets results. Have ChatGPT write custom takedowns for each site instead of copy-pasting the same message everywhere. Using Claude? The same cleanup in Claude adds a DMCA takedown template.
Platform-Specific Removal
- Facebook: Click the three dots on the photo, select "Find support or report," choose the reason.
- Instagram: Tap the three dots, select "Report." For impersonation, use the dedicated form.
- LinkedIn: Flag the post via the three dots. For unauthorized photos, contact LinkedIn support directly.
- Google Search: If a result shows your photo with your contact info, request removal through Results about you. Once the site deletes the photo, clear the leftover result with Google's "Remove outdated content" tool.
GDPR Removal Template
Subject: Data Erasure Request Under GDPR Article 17 Hello, Under Article 17 of the GDPR, I am requesting that you delete all personal data related to me, including the following image(s): Photo URL: [URL] Page URL: [URL] I did not consent to the publication of this image. Please confirm removal within 30 days as required by GDPR. Thank you, [Your name and contact details]
General Removal Template
Subject: Photo Removal Request Hi, I found a photo of me published on your site without my permission. Photo URL: [URL] Page URL: [URL] I did not authorize the use of this image and am requesting its removal. Per your privacy policy and terms of service, users have the right to request removal of unauthorized personal content. Please remove this image within 14 business days and confirm removal by email. Thank you, [Your name]
Tip: Always be polite but firm. Threats make people less likely to help. A professional, specific request with a clear deadline gets the best results.
Advanced: Find Forgotten Accounts
Old accounts you forgot about are often the biggest photo leaks. In ChatGPT Work, run this (and for a deeper sweep, see Find Your Old Online Accounts):
Search for old accounts or profiles that might belong to me on these platforms: - MySpace - Tumblr - Flickr - Google+ archives - Photobucket - Pinterest - Reddit (with my username if I share it with you) - Old forum profiles Search using my full name, common usernames, and email address. List anything you find with links.
For data broker sites (Spokeo, BeenVerified, Whitepages, MyLife), have ChatGPT run the full cleanup with Find Who's Selling Your Data, or use a paid service like DeleteMe, Kanary or Optery if you find yourself on more than five or six of them.
Set Up Ongoing Monitoring
Finding your photos once isn't enough. Set a recurring Google Alert for your full name, and put a quarterly reminder in your calendar to run this audit. To clean up the rest of your personal info too, follow my digital footprint cleanup guide.
It's time for my quarterly photo audit. Using my photo and profile from our previous conversation, run the full search again: 1. Reverse image search my photo 2. Search my name across all major platforms 3. Check data broker sites 4. Compare results to my previous list and flag anything new For any new results, draft removal requests using the same format as before.
The first search takes the longest. Each follow-up takes about 15 minutes because your profile is already built and you have your previous list to compare against.
Get the Full Guide
Download the complete PDF for the full walkthrough with every prompt, every removal template, platform-specific instructions, troubleshooting fixes, and a full-process checklist you can print out.
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