Block Party founder Tracy Chou announced on Wednesday that the company has been acquired by DeleteMe, an online personal data removal service.

A software engineer and advocate for diversity in tech, Chou founded Block Party in 2018 as a tool to help people stay safe from targeted harassment on Twitter, inspired by her own experiences on the platform.

Chou raised a $4.8 million seed round in 2022 to expand the tool to other social networks, which turned out to be really good timing — soon after, Elon Musk would buy Twitter. Under his ownership, the company began charging for access to its API, but the costs were too steep for a startup like Block Party to operate, so Block Party was forced to quickly pivot and launch tools for other platforms.

Over time, the company evolved into a browser plug-in to “deep clean your social media,” integrating with more than a dozen other platforms, like TikTok, Instagram, Venmo, Facebook, and yes, even X.

> The internet is not yet the safe, equitable, empowering place it could be, but I've never stopped believing it can get there. The mission continues. It just got a lot more powerful.

— Tracy Chou (@triketora.com) 2026-03-25T02:49:46.538Z

“In a prior life, I was briefly and mildly Internet famous for my activism and advocacy work,” Chou wrote in a blog post. “The subsequent intrusions on my life and physical safety became a shocking revelation in how exposed I was, and I found myself scrambling to lock everything down.”

That was when she learned about DeleteMe, which could help her remove personal information from data brokers and people search sites. But there wasn’t an equivalent product to help people protect themselves on social media, which is what prompted her to create Block Party. It’s only fitting that Block Party will now become part of DeleteMe.

“Until now, enterprise customers and consumers alike have had to go to different companies to cobble together separate solutions,” Chou wrote. “This acquisition brings both our products under the same roof, and gives everyone who’s been asking for it somewhere to go.”

Techcrunch event

Disrupt 2026: The tech ecosystem, all in one room

Your next round. Your next hire. Your next breakout opportunity. Find it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech leaders gather for three days of 250+ tactical sessions, powerful introductions, and market-defining innovation. Register now to save up to $400.

Save up to $300 or 30% to TechCrunch Founder Summit

1,000+ founders and investors come together at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 for a full day focused on growth, execution, and real-world scaling. Learn from founders and investors who have shaped the industry. Connect with peers navigating similar growth stages. Walk away with tactics you can apply immediately

Offer ends March 13.

San Francisco, CA

October 13-15, 2026

For current Block Party users, nothing will change for now — as the tool becomes more integrated into DeleteMe at large, the company says it will share more with customers.

“I used to be more open about my life online. Many of us were. But for too many people, that openness has come at a real cost,” she wrote. “We don’t have to choose between having a voice and being safe. That was always the point.”

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Topics

Block Party, delete me, Mergers and Acquisitions, Privacy, tracey chou

Amanda Silberling

Senior Writer

Amanda Silberling is a senior writer at TechCrunch covering the intersection of technology and culture. She has also written for publications like Polygon, MTV, the Kenyon Review, NPR, and Business Insider. She is the co-host of Wow If True, a podcast about internet culture, with science fiction author Isabel J. Kim. Prior to joining TechCrunch, she worked as a grassroots organizer, museum educator, and film festival coordinator. She holds a B.A. in English from the University of Pennsylvania and served as a Princeton in Asia Fellow in Laos.

You can contact or verify outreach from Amanda by emailing amanda@techcrunch.com or via encrypted message at @amanda.100 on Signal.

View Bio

June 9

Boston, MA

Actively scaling? Fundraising? Planning your next launch?

TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 delivers tactical playbooks and direct access to 1,000+ founders and investors who are building, backing, and closing.

DeleteMe acquires social media security tool Block Party