25 Musts for Digital Privacy & Security
I want to say first that protecting your privacy doesn’t mean you have things to hide, or that you are doing something “wrong”! Not at all! But you have the right to your privacy, and you absolutely do not have to opt into giant tech companies or Big Brother conducting surveillance without your consent!
The Basic Checklist
✅ Access the internet using VPN connection (I like NordVPN personally; DO NOT USE TOR!!)
✅ Cover the camera on your phone and/or computer
✅ Use Ecosia or DuckDuckGo for internet searches
✅ Use Proton Mail rather than Google for emailing
✅ Eliminate social media apps on phone
✅ SSL certificate on websites
✅ Use an old-school flip-type phone without apps
✅ Use an app (on your computer!) to send and receive text messages. My favorite is Grasshopper, they rock!
✅ Use a tool like CryptPad rather than Google Drive for documents, sheets, passwords, etc.
✅ Keep phone off & away when not in use
✅ Don't share where you *ARE*... share where you *WERE*
✅ Use Mozilla Firefox when online, not Google Chrome.
✅ Basically avoid all things by Google (this is in progress for me, working on it!)
✅ And avoid things by Microsoft
✅ Do NOT, for the love of all things good, use Face ID technology to access your iPhone!
✅ Rather than use the same password for everything, use a different, hard-to-guess, and distinct password for each account you access.
✅ Use encrypted online storage for sensitive files, rather than software like DropBox and Google Drive. I’m personally using PCloud, which offers the option to encrypt some or all files at a fee.
✅ Do NOT click on links in emails unless you 100,000% trust the sender and can verify that the sender is who they say they are! Especially not emails that say they are PayPal, Squarespace, or other companies that might be asking you to log in! Go directly to the website in question, instead.
✅ Do NOT connect to public WiFi!
✅ Your best bet for internet connection, when possible, is to connect directly via a cable modem or the like. If that isn’t an option, your next best bet is to use a password-protected network.
✅ Clear your cookies. OFTEN.
✅ Do NOT save passwords or card numbers in your browser or automatically.
✅ Make sure all devices are password-protected — such as phones, computers, and iPads
Other Things to Do:
(that I’m working on myself!)
💩 Get off Facebook or HUGELY reduce the frequency I’m on it
💩 Finish cutting off Google - Google Drive, Mail, alllll the things
💩 I wonder what else I could do that I haven’t yet…
Other Non-Digital Privacy Items
✅ Use a UPS or PO box, not your home address, for your mailing address.
✅ If you drive to and from certain places regularly and want to keep your home location private, change up your routes rather than going straight home in the same way everyday.
✅ Shred any paperwork with your birth date or other identifying info.
Note: I have been doing many of these for years, but a few of these ideas came from friends who were generous with their tips. :-) Feel free to share any tips with me that aren’t listed here!!
