Surfshark bolsters its privacy empire with Optery data removal acquisition

Date:
Tue, 08 Sep 2026 09:23:04 +0000

Description:
Surfshark Group has acquired a majority stake in US data removal service Optery, adding a fifth privacy brand alongside Incogni, Ironwall, and HeyPolo.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Surfshark Group acquires a majority stake in data removal service Optery It joins Incogni, Ironwall, HeyPolo, while running as an independent brand The acquisition is expected to expand Surfshark's data broker coverage Surfshark , the company behind one of the best VPN services around, is growing its privacy footprint again. The group has completed its acquisition of a majority stake in Optery , a
US-based data removal specialist, adding a fifth brand to its expanding cybersecurity ecosystem.

Announced on September 7, the deal places Optery alongside existing group members Incogni , Ironwall, and HeyPolo . Financial terms were not disclosed. For a group built around online privacy, buying another company that scrubs personal information from data brokers is a natural fit. It also marks
another step in the steady consolidation of the booming data removal
industry.

Surfshark the best cheap VPN Surfshark is a fast, easy-to-use VPN that seriously beats the competition when it comes to subscription pricing. Its two-year Starter plan works out at $2.49 a month (plus tax), but we think Surfshark One is the best value plan as it adds an antivirus, data breach monitor, and alternative ID tool starting from the equivalent of $2.79 a month. View Deal What Optery brings to the table Optery is a US data removal service that finds and deletes personal details from data brokers, people-search sites, and search engine results.

According to Surfshark, it stands out for its specialized scanning
technology, detailed screenshot reporting, and broad US data broker coverage. You may like Surfshark pulls the plug on Search as it shifts focus to
fighting scams Surfshark adds category-based web filtering to its
post-quantum Dausos protocol Best data removal services of 2026

In our Optery review , we called it one of the strongest data removal tools
of 2026, praising its transparent before-and-after reporting and genuinely useful free tier. For now, Optery is available only in the US and Canada , though it has signaled plans to expand internationally. (Image credit:
Future) NEW : Leave No Trace A weekly newsletter on digital privacy and online surveillance.

Leave No Trace investigates the companies and governments putting our digital freedom at risk and the people fighting back.

Subscribe now to get every edition delivered to your inbox every Friday, launching this September. Why Surfshark made the move Surfshark frames the acquisition as a response to growing demand for data control in an AI-driven world, where personal information increasingly surfaces in search results and AI-generated summaries. What to read next Surfsharks FastTrack now covers
more than 2.000 servers your city might be on the list too Got a bold cybersecurity idea? Surfshark's 100K advocacy fund could back it up Surfshark takes aim at the smishing epidemic with new real-time scam text protection

The wider data broker market is expected to top $440 billion by 2032 , making removal services a valuable long-term bet.

"At Surfshark Group, our goal is to empower people to take full control of their digital lives," said Vytautas Kaziukonis, founder and chairman of the board at Surfshark Group.

Optery is the group's second acquisition, following its 2024 purchase of Ironwall, a removal service aimed at government employees and executives.

Surfshark itself merged with NordVPN parent Nord Security in 2022 , so growth through consolidation is well-trodden ground. What Optery's acquisition means for Surfshark users Big news: Surfshark just welcomed Optery to the family.Optery specializes in finding and removing your personal data from US data brokers and people-search sites. Now joining as an independent service within Surfshark.'In Surfshark, our goal is to empower people to take full pic.twitter.com/kSrehbhFs2 September 7, 2026 If you already use a Surfshark
or Incogni product, not much changes overnight. Optery will keep operating independently, with its own teams, products, and technology, so there's no bundling or migration right now.

The bigger payoff should come over time. Surfshark says the deal will let it expand data broker coverage, deepen its knowledge of search-related removals, and ship new privacy tools faster across the group. Pairing Optery's US expertise with Incogni's global scale, in particular, could sharpen both services.

"By pooling our knowledge with Incogni, Ironwall, and Surfshark, we can collaborate extensively to deliver even greater protection for our users," said Lawrence Gentilello, CEO and founder of Optery. Today's best Surfshark deals +3 months free Surfshark 24 Months $2.49 /mth View at Surfshark Surfshark 12 Months $3.39 /mth View at Surfshark Surfshark 1 Month $16.45
/mth View at Surfshark Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-services/surfshark-bolsters-its-privacy-empi re-with-optery-data-removal-acquisition


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