You might not realize it, but chances are that a lot of your personal data is scattered all over the internet. It might be an old social media account that tells people more than you need to or public records that tell the world your private information, but either way, leaving it online can cause you some major privacy problems. Here are 18 ways to help you take this information down.
Delete Old Email Accounts
Even if you’re not using them, old email accounts can still have a ton of personal data attached to them, like old conversations or receipts. Close these accounts so you can stop people from finding your old information. Many hackers love going through people’s forgotten accounts to find information, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
void Data Brokers
Data brokers collect and sell your personal information, so you should request to have your data removed from their list. Sites like Spokeo and WhitePages give you the option to opt-out, but you’ll need to repeat this if you’re signed up with multiple brokers. Make sure you keep checking to see if any new brokers have added you to their lists.
Unsubscribe From Marketing Lists
If you’re still getting catalogs or promotional emails from companies you’re not interested in, contact them directly to remove your name from their lists. It’ll cut down on spam, both physically and digitally, which usually contains your personal details. It’ll also stop companies from tracking your shopping habits.
Proper Deletion
Even if you’ve deleted them, unused apps can still access your personal data. Make sure you revoke any permissions your apps have from your phone settings and their app platforms before you hit that delete button. This way, they won’t be able to continue gathering your information without you realizing it.
Delete Old Forum Posts
If you were part of an online forum or message board, your posts might still be up, and you never know what kind of information you’ve shared on them. It’s a little harder to delete these, but you can start by contacting the forum admin or logging in to delete your account. Some forums also let you edit your past posts so you can remove any personal information.
Old Jobs
You should also contact any previous employers and ask them to delete your personal information, like your emergency contact information or benefits paperwork. And if you left this job long ago, it’s even more important for you to delete this information. You’d be surprised at how much of your personal data they could still have.
Public Records
Public records have all kinds of personal information, although you can’t always remove everything. But you can ask to seal or privatize certain court records or other official documents so only certain people have access to them. Usually, you’ll have to make a formal request, but it’s definitely worth it for your privacy.
Cloud Storage
You might’ve forgotten about it, but all those old documents and photos in the cloud can tell people more than you want them to. Clean these out regularly, and make sure you haven’t left anything sensitive behind. If you have, either delete it or make sure it’s protected with firewalls and passwords.
Clear Your Browsing History
This one’s probably the easiest one on the list. Regularly cleaning your browsing data stops advertisers and websites from tracking what you do online and gathering your personal data. Clear your browsing history and cookies, along with your saved passwords, to maintain your online privacy. It just takes a few minutes.
Use a Professional Service
For a thorough clean-up, try using a professional data removal service. Plenty of them are out there that can do the whole thing for you, and they’ll make sure your data is as private as possible. Just make sure you stick to the reputable ones, as some of them could actually spread your data even further.
Secure Your Privacy Settings
Check all your current accounts and the privacy settings on every single one. The most obvious ones are your social media accounts but don’t forget any online shopping sites or other services where you’ve shared your personal information. A few clicks here and there will reduce the amount of information that’s out there.
Check App Permissions
Apps update their terms and permissions all the time, and most of the time, we just ignore them. Don’t do that. Keep an eye on any changes and read through those terms before you press accept. This also means you should review the permission for any new apps that you’re installing, too.
Old Subscriptions
Any old magazine or online service subscriptions will probably still have your information, and this can be risky if there’s a data leak. If you’re not using them, cancel them immediately. You should also keep an eye on your bank statements because, sometimes, those subscriptions renew without you even realizing it.
Using a Fake Name
There’s no rule saying you have to use your real information online unless it’s for something official. So why not use some fake details? This way, you can keep your real information off mailing lists and away from data brokers. There are many sites out there that’ll give you ideas on what information you could use instead.
Be Careful
Similarly, you should always think twice before you share any personal information, even on sites that seem like they’re secure. Do you really need to give them your address and real name? You never know if they’ll use this data to get into your accounts or impersonate you so when in doubt, leave it out.
Updated Security Software
There’s no reason you shouldn’t have security software installed on every device possible, including your phone. But the most important thing to remember is to keep it updated. These programs are the first line of defense against any online threats, so don’t let them get outdated, or they won’t be anywhere near as effective.
Check Your Digital Footprint
You can also do a personal audit of your digital footprint by searching for your name and seeing what comes up. This could include old social media photos or maybe outdated bio pages. Best of all, it’s free, so give yourself a Google and see what comes up. You never know what you might find.
Data Privacy Laws
Lastly, keep up-to-date with any changes in data privacy laws so you can fully understand the complexities of removing your data. After all, this is the only way you’ll be able to make informed decisions about how much of your data is online. You could even find out that you’ve got more power over your data than you realize.
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