Most of us have posted something on the Internet that we later regretted (really regretted) posting. While it might be possible to delete that one post right away, it’s not always possible to remember what we posted a long time ago, or to go back through all of those posts and remove things that could get us in trouble with a boss (or just make us look completely stupid). But, yes, there’s now an app for that.

The new iOS app called ‘Clear’ will go through all of your social media posts, and get rid of those that could cause you embarrassment now or in the future. It’s the only app that combs through posts from a long time ago up until the present time, and it works rather well. If you haphazardly post things that you have no right posting, Clear is going to become your best friend (just in case you insult your actual best friend!).

How Clear Works

When you sign up for Clear, you will be asked to connect the app to all of your social media accounts. From there, Clear will scan your accounts using a special algorithm that searches for particular phrases and words that could be seen as offensive. The app looks for things like swears, racial slurs, sexist comments, and other things that you may have posted after a long night out.

After the app is done scanning your sordid past posts, you will see a breakdown of everything that you’ve posted, and you’ll be told just how “clear” you are. Any posts that you see that are bothersome can be deleted right away (no need to visit your social page, you can do it right from the Clear app). The app currently checks Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter accounts for anything that might be offensive.

An Interesting Tale

Clear was created by the former Chief Technology Officer for Jeb Bush. Ethan Czahor is that same person, and was quickly kicked off of Bush’s presidential campaign after sources like The Huffington Post and Buzzfeed found that Bush had written a number of extremely offensive things online prior to the campaign. Once those comments were unearthed, Czahor was asked to leave the campaign. This prompted him to create the Clear app.

Even though it should be easy enough not to put something on the Internet that many people will find incredibly offensive, I suppose that we all have our moments. More than that, most of us forgot what we posted five years ago though the Internet never really forgets.

This is why Clear was created, and it’s also why the app currently has a lengthy waiting list. It seems like a lot of people are trying to erase their past, and hoping that Clear will give them the clear record they want to have moving forward.

In Trial Stages

Clear is still in beta mode, which is why there’s a waiting list. The app isn’t perfect yet, but it will find anything that seems offensive. Keep in mind that some of the things the app finds may not actually be offensive, but it’s up to you to decide whether or not you want to delete everything that Clear digs up. In the meantime, be good out there!