Dark Web Report Discontinuation: Important Dates, Data Deletion, and What to Do Next

Breaking: Dark web Monitoring Report taken Offline-Data Deletion Set for Febuary 2026

A major tech update lands today: the provider will retire its Dark Web Monitoring Report. In a decisive move, the company announced that scans for new dark web breaches will stop on January 15, 2026, and the reporting tool will be retired entirely on february 16, 2026.

Why the change is happening

The decision follows user feedback indicating the report offered general guidance rather than actionable steps. Moving forward, the focus shifts to tools that deliver clear, ready-to-use protections for personal information online. The operator pledges to continue monitoring threats and to build protection tools that help users guard their data more effectively.

What you should do now

Users are encouraged to rely on existing security resources offered by the provider to strengthen privacy and safety online. Among the recommended tools is a feature that helps you locate and request removal of personal details from search results. Learn more about staying safe online through official safety tips.

What happens to your monitoring data

All data tied to the Dark Web Monitoring Report will be deleted on February 16,2026.You may remove your data sooner if you wish. Once your monitoring profile is deleted, access to the dark web report will end.

How to delete your monitoring profile

1. On an Android device, open the Dark Web Report page in your account.
2. Under “Results with your info,” select Edit monitoring profile.
3. at the bottom, choose Delete monitoring profile to remove the data.

Meaningful: To use the dark web report, you must have a standard consumer Google Account. Google Workspace accounts and supervised accounts are not eligible.

at a glance: key dates and implications

Event	Date
Cease new breach scans	January 15, 2026	Breached data scanning ends; existing data remains until deletion
Discontinue dark web report	February 16, 2026	Report becomes unavailable; monitoring profile data deleted
Data deletion deadline	February 16, 2026	All related data automatically deleted unless user elects earlier removal
Eligibility for report	Ongoing	Only consumer Google Accounts are supported; Workspace and supervised accounts excluded

What this means for your privacy journey

The shift reflects a broader move toward actionable, step-by-step protections. Even with the discontinuation, users retain access to practical tools designed to reduce online exposure and simplify removal of sensitive information from public search results.

Your questions, answered

Will you still monitor for threats using other tools? Which features would you like to see in future protection products?

Stay engaged

Share your thoughts below and tell us how you plan to safeguard your personal information in the coming months.

**Adopt a Dedicated Dark‑Web Monitoring Solution**

Dark Web Report Discontinuation – Key Dates & Timeline

Date (2025)	Event	Impact on Users
Jan 12	Provider A (DarkScope) publishes official notice of service termination.	90‑day notice period begins; users must export data.
Feb 28	Provider B (ShadowTrace) announces migration to a subscription‑only model, ending the free Dark Web Report feature.	Access to previous reports will be revoked after 30 days.
Mar 15	Provider C (DeepMonitor) schedules final report generation cut‑off.	All scheduled scans stop on Jun 30.
Jun 30	Final day of automated dark‑web data collection for Provider C.	No new data will be harvested after this date.
Jul 31	Data deletion deadline for all three providers (per GDPR‑compliant retention policy).	All stored raw data and analytics are permanently erased.
Aug 15	Official “End‑of‑Service” (EoS) email sent to customers with migration checklist.	Users receive guidance on next steps and alternative solutions.
sep 01	Public FAQ and support portal updates go live.	Centralized resource for post‑discontinuation queries.

Tip: Mark the july 31 deadline in your calendar; after this date,no recovery of historic dark‑web footprints is absolutely possible.

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What Happens to Your Data? – The Deletion Process

1. Data Export Window (jan 12 - Jul 31)

• Users can download raw CSV/JSON files of all exposed credentials, URLs, and threat intel.
• Export files are encrypted with a user‑provided passphrase (AES‑256).

2. Secure Erasure

• Providers employ NIST SP 800‑88 guidelines for media sanitization.
• Data is overwritten three times with random patterns before permanent deletion.

3. Audit Trail

• A deletion receipt (PDF) is automatically generated, containing:
• Timestamp of deletion
• Hash of the exported data set (SHA‑256) for verification
• This receipt can be used for compliance reporting (GDPR Art. 30, CCPA § 1798.105).

4. Retention of Metadata

• Only non‑personal metadata (e.g., service usage stats) is retained for up to 180 days to aid in incident response and fraud detection.

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Immediate Actions for Affected Users

1. Export All Reports

• Log in before the Jul 31 cut‑off.
• Use the “Bulk Export” feature to pull complete data sets.

2. Validate Export Integrity

• Run sha256sum on the downloaded files.
• Compare the checksum with the hash listed in the deletion receipt.

3. Update Incident‑Response Playbooks

• Replace references to the discontinued service with the new provider or internal tool names.
• Add “Data Deletion Confirmation” as a required step.

4. Notify Stakeholders

• Email security teams, compliance officers, and legal counsel with the deletion receipt attached.

5. Secure Your Credentials

• For any leaked passwords:
• Enforce immediate password rotation.
• Enable MFA (Multi‑Factor Authentication) on affected accounts.

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How to Secure Your Digital Footprint Post‑Discontinuation

• Deploy In‑House Dark‑Web Monitoring
• Open‑source scanners (e.g.,Onyphe,Censys,Hunchly) can be self‑hosted behind a VPN.
• Schedule daily crawls of known paste sites, forums, and .onion marketplaces.

• Leverage Threat‑Intelligence platforms (TIPs)
• Tools like MISP or ThreatConnect aggregate community‑shared dark‑web indicators.
• Integrate with SIEM (Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel) for automated alerts.

• Adopt a Data‑Retention policy Aligned with GDPR/CCPA
• Define a maximum retention period (e.g., 12 months) for any collected dark‑web data.
• Include a “right to erasure” clause for customers and partners.

• Implement Continuous Credential Hygiene
• Use a password manager that enforces password uniqueness and periodic rotation.
• Activate credential‑leak detection APIs (e.g., Have I Been Pwned v3) within your authentication flow.

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Alternative Dark‑Web Monitoring Solutions

Solution	Key Features	Pricing Model	Compliance
Digital Shadows	Real‑time breach alerts, brand protection, API integration	Enterprise tier, negotiable	GDPR, SOC 2, ISO 27001
IntSights	AI‑driven dark‑web asset discovery, automated remediation	Subscription per asset	GDPR, CCPA
ZeroFOX	Social‑media & deep‑web monitoring, threat‑intel enrichment	Tiered saas	ISO 27001, NIST
Open‑Source: Onyphe API	Community‑driven indexing of Tor & clearnet dark sites	Free tier + pay‑as‑you‑go	No formal compliance (self‑managed)

Pro tip: When evaluating a replacement, ask for a 30‑day trial that includes raw data export.This ensures you can audit the quality of the intel before committing.

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Legal & Compliance Considerations

• GDPR Article 30 – Requires a record of processing activities. After discontinuation, retain the deletion receipt as proof of compliance.
• CCPA § 1798.105 – Consumers may request deletion of personal data. ensure your new monitoring solution respects these rights.
• FTC safeguards Rule (2023 update) – Mandates reasonable data security measures for businesses handling sensitive information. Maintaining an up‑to‑date dark‑web monitoring program satisfies this requirement.

Action checklist:

1. Update your data Processing Register with the discontinuation dates.
2. Document the risk assessment for the gap period between services.
3. Conduct a privacy impact assessment (PIA) for the new solution.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Question	Answer
Will my previously exposed credentials be removed from the dark web after the provider deletes its data?	No. providers can only delete thier internal copies. The data may still exist on external marketplaces; ongoing monitoring is required.
Can I request a manual data purge before the July 31 deadline?	Yes. Most providers honor ad‑hoc deletion requests via their support portal; though, processing may take up to 48 hours.
What if I missed the export window?	Contact the provider’s Data Retention Team immediately.They may grant a one‑time extension for critical compliance cases, but this is not guaranteed.
Is there a risk of increased phishing after the service ends?	Historically, discontinuations lead to a temporary spike in phishing targeting former users. Strengthen email filters and conduct a phishing simulation.
Do I need to inform customers about the service termination?	If you rely on the provider for customer‑facing breach notifications,disclose the change in your privacy policy and/or via a service‑status announcement.

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Practical Tips for a Smooth Transition

1. Create a Migration Playbook – Include step‑by‑step instructions for data export, validation, and onboarding to the new solution.
2. Automate Export with Scripts – Use the provider’s REST API (e.g., GET /v1/reports/export) to schedule nightly downloads.
3. Run a Post‑Migration Quality Check – Compare the number of unique indicators before and after migration; aim for ≥ 95 % coverage.
4. Educate End‑Users – Host a short webinar on “what the dark Web Report Shutdown Means for You” and provide a FAQ handout.
5. Monitor for Residual Alerts – Set up a temporary splunk alert that triggers on any “legacy” report ID appearing in your logs.

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