Record Sealing: A Branch of Reputation Management

Your reputation matters, both in person and online. If you have a past criminal record, even for a minor offence, it can follow you for years. Employers, landlords, and even social connections often search your name online, and finding a record can lead to lost opportunities.

Record sealing offers a solution. While it doesn’t erase a record, it hides it from public view, making it inaccessible in most background checks.?

What Is Record Sealing?

Record sealing is a legal process that restricts access to criminal records. Unlike expungement, which removes a record entirely, sealing means the record still exists but cannot be seen by the public.

Law enforcement and some government agencies can still access sealed records, but most employers, landlords, and background check services cannot.

For online reputation management, sealing a record means fewer people will find damaging information when they search your name.

Why Record Sealing Matters for Your Online Image

A Google search can reveal more about a person than ever before. If a past record is easily accessible, it can:

• Hurt job prospects: Many employers reject candidates with criminal records.
• Make housing harder to secure: Landlords often deny applications after seeing a record.
• Affect social relationships: Friends, family, and colleagues may judge based on outdated information.
• Damage credibility: A past mistake may overshadow professional achievements.
• Prevent a fresh start: Even if you've moved on, your past may still define you online.

Sealing a record helps control what people see about you, allowing you to be judged on who you are today, not past mistakes.

How Record Sealing Helps with Employment and Housing

Employment

• Many employers run background checks before hiring.
• A criminal record, even for a minor offense, can lead to automatic rejection.
• Sealing a record removes it from most checks, meaning hiring decisions are based on qualifications, not past mistakes.

Housing

• Landlords often deny applications when they see a criminal record.
• This creates a cycle of difficulty, without stable housing, rebuilding life is harder.
• A sealed record is hidden from tenant background checks, making approval more likely.

Managing Your Online Reputation After Record Sealing

Sealing a record removes it from background checks, but it may still exist online. News articles, court records, and social media posts can continue to show past offenses, even if they no longer appear in official searches.

To fully protect your reputation, consider:

• Removing old content: Request takedowns of news articles or mugshots.
• Working with reputation management services: Experts can help push positive content higher in search results.
• Updating online profiles: Highlight achievements and strengths to shift focus away from the past.

Take Control of Your Reputation

Record sealing is a powerful tool, but it’s only part of the solution. Managing what appears online is just as important. If old records, news stories, or negative content are still visible, you may need professional help to remove or suppress them.

Your past shouldn’t define your future. If you want to remove criminal records from background checks and improve your online image, now is the time to take action.