Safeguarding Your Digital Footprint

The start of a new year often comes with resolutions to declutter our lives - but don’t stop at your closets. It’s time to clear out your digital life, too. In today’s world, we’re all leaving behind digital footprints, making us more vulnerable to cyber threats and identity theft. By decluttering and securing your online presence, you can start the new year with a safer, more protected digital life.

Here’s how to sweep up those digital dust bunnies and safeguard your digital footprint in the new year.

1. Delete Unused Accounts

Remember that one app you used once to order a pizza in 2019? Still hanging onto that account? Over the years, you’ve probably created accounts on various websites, apps, or services that you no longer use. Each of these accounts holds personal information that could be exposed if the service experiences a data breach. Taking the time to delete unused accounts can reduce your risk of having your data compromised.

How to do it: Visit old or rarely used websites and apps and look for options to delete or deactivate your account. Can’t find a delete option? A quick search or email to customer service should help.

Example: You signed up for a free trial of a streaming service three years ago and forgot about it. Even if you're not using the service, your personal information (email, password, payment details) may still be stored and vulnerable.

2. Update Passwords and Use a Password Manager

The new year is a great excuse to ditch “Password123” and get serious about online security. Old, weak, or reused passwords can put your accounts at risk. If one account gets hacked, it can lead to a domino effect if you use the same password across multiple platforms. Start the new year by updating your passwords and adopting better password practices.

How to do it: Use a password manager to create unique passwords for each of your accounts. A good password should be long, include a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols, and not be easily guessable (no birthdays, names, or simple patterns).

Example: If you’ve been using the same password for your email, online shopping, and social media accounts, a single breach on one platform could expose all your other accounts. A password manager helps create strong, unique passwords for each site without you needing to remember them all.

3. Review App Permissions

Some apps love to ask for permission to access personal information, including your location, contacts, and even photos. Does your flashlight really need access to your contacts list? Didn’t think so. Over time, you may forget which apps have what permissions, potentially exposing more data than necessary. It’s a good idea to review and adjust these permissions regularly.

How to do it: On your smartphone or computer, check your privacy settings to see which apps have access to sensitive information like your location, camera, and contacts. If they don’t need permissions, turn it off or uninstall apps you no longer use.

Example: A weather app may have requested access to your location data when you first installed it, but if you no longer use the app, there’s no reason for it to continue tracking your location. Removing unnecessary permissions limits the data shared with third parties.

4. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your accounts by requiring both your password and a second form of verification, such as a code sent to your phone. Even if a hacker gets in with your password, they’ll need to get past that second layer of protection. Two is always better than one.

How to do it: Go into your account settings on important services like email, banking, and social media, and enable two-factor authentication. You can choose to receive codes via text or through an authenticator app for more secure verification.

Example: Let’s say your password is compromised after a hacker gains access to your information through a phishing scam. They won’t be able to log in without the unique code sent to your phone through two-factor authentication.

5. Clean Up Social Media Profiles

We’ve all posted things we probably shouldn’t have - that hilarious photo from 2014 or your old home address in a public comment. Social media accounts contain a wealth of personal information that cybercriminals can use to steal your identity or scam you. Start the new year by reviewing your privacy settings, clearing out old posts, and limiting who can see your personal information.

How to do it: On each social media platform, review your privacy settings and limit who can see your posts and profile information. Delete old posts that share sensitive information, such as vacation photos that reveal when you were away from home or public posts sharing your location.

Example: You might have shared a photo of your vacation two years ago, publicly announcing that you were away from home for a week. Potential burglars appreciated the heads-up. Cybercriminals can use this type of information to plan burglaries or other crimes. It’s best to delete or restrict access to these kinds of posts.

6. Review Data Sharing and Privacy Settings

Many online services share your data with third-party companies for advertising or other purposes. As part of your digital clean up, review your privacy settings on social media, apps, and other services to limit data sharing.

How to do it: On platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google, review your privacy settings and opt out of data sharing or targeted advertising. Look for settings like “Limit Ad Tracking” on mobile devices and web browsers.

Example: Many social media platforms use your browsing history or app usage data to serve ads tailored to you. By adjusting your privacy settings, you can reduce how much of your personal data is shared with advertisers.

While cleaning up your digital life, don’t forget to back up important files and documents. Whether it’s photos, financial documents, or work files, having a backup ensures that your information is safe even if something goes wrong with your device or online accounts.

How to do it: Use a cloud storage service or an external hard drive to back up your most important files regularly. Better yet, set up automatic backups to ensure your data is always protected.

Example: If your phone is lost or stolen, having a cloud backup of your photos, contacts, and documents means you won’t lose anything important.

Start the Year with a Cleaner, Safer Digital Footprint

The new year is the perfect time to tidy up your digital life and take control of your online security. By following these steps, you can reduce your vulnerability to cyber threats and keep your personal information safe. Ready to start the new year with a clean digital slate? Time to sweep those digital cobwebs away and step into the new year protected.

For more tips on safeguarding your personal and financial data, visit the Fraud section of our Resource Center.