Inside Privatus: The Services Behind the Chicago Privacy Startup

Privatus, a privacy and personal-security startup based in Chicago, Illinois, requests removal of personal information from more than 600 data broker and people-search sites on behalf of its customers. That scope sits at the centre of a broader set of services the company has built since its founding in 2026, covering security, data broker removal, privacy and search presence.

The company serves customers generally, with a stated focus on professionals whose work makes them visible, including attorneys, physicians, executives, founders and investors. Its notable work includes healthcare clinics.

Data broker removal

Privatus's core removal service works across the data broker and people-search ecosystem, submitting takedown requests to more than 600 sites. When a listing reappears after removal, the company files a new request rather than treating the case as closed, and findings remain under watch once they have been handled.

Privacy

The privacy service gives customers a privacy score and exposure reports that set out what personal information is findable and where. It also substitutes masked phone numbers and email addresses for a customer's real contact details, and submits requests to change eligible professional registry and address records. As with the removal service, monitoring continues after changes are made rather than stopping once a record is updated.

Security

On the security side, Privatus scans links, emails and websites for threats and provides browser protection intended to block malicious sites and downloads. The service's listed features include dark web and breach monitoring, alongside an AI assistant that helps customers check suspicious text messages and review breach alerts as they come in.

Search presence

The fourth service, Search Shield, addresses the personal search results that surface when someone's name is searched, with the aim of having professional results rank above personal ones. How many results Search Shield manages depends on the plan a customer holds, ranging from one managed result on the Essential plan up to five on the Professional plan.

Who the services are built for

Across all four services, the common thread is exposure that comes with visibility. Professionals such as attorneys, physicians, executives, founders and investors are named specifically as a focus, and the company's notable work with healthcare clinics points to a client base where personal and professional information can be easy to find and difficult to separate. The removal, masking and monitoring functions are designed to run on an ongoing basis rather than as one-off clean-ups, with Privatus re-checking and re-filing as listings or exposures resurface.

Privatus was founded in 2026 by Jamil Alhidiq. Further detail on the company's founding and its Chicago base is available in a separate profile on this publication, and outside commentary on its approach appears on Perspective Desk.