5 minute online privacy checkup
WHERE YOU COULD BE TARGETED ONLINE
You, your children, & your well-wishers: 1. Your devices 2. Email 3. Social Media 4. Messaging apps 5. Internet enabled apps 6. Banking 7. Any other site requiring a signup or account
COMMON TECHNIQUES USED FOR ONLINE TRACKING
Collection & transmission of data by a website or device
Public data shared by social media
Someone hacks into your account
Someone hacks into one of your accounts and uses that to gain access to others
Someone guesses or cracks your password
Spam & Spyware that corrupts your system and spies on you
Someone impersonates you, a relation of yours or stalks you
PRIVACY CHECKLIST
☑ Google yourself with several combinations
“First Last”, “Last First”, “Your Phone number”, “Your address”, “Your name + job name” or anything that can identify you. Check the Images tab too. Also search yourself on Spokeo.
Result
Where do you find yourself?
Action
Remove questionable content and/or use it to your advantage.
☑ Find yourself on Social Networks
Make a fake account and try finding your social profiles. See how much is public for you and the ones close to you. Check location setting on your devices.
Result
How much can you find out about yourself and people who could lead your abuser to you?
Action
Check out how to secure your profiles. You can also create a fake profile which looks real to throw your abuser off your scent. Switch off location settings.
☑ Find websites you are subscribed to
Go to unroll.me and see how many websites you’re subscribed to.
Result
This will generate a list of websites/services.
Action
Unroll from the ones you don’t need. Use this list to help with the step below. Also install non-tracking plugins like Adblocker/Blur.
☑ Password & Webcam checkup
How many of your passwords are the same? Pay special attention to the websites which may not be that secure.
Result
Write down the passwords. Is your camera taped?
Action
Change passwords to more secure ones and don’t use the same one for all of them. Also cover your webcam with a Post-it - that way you can remove when you need to. Download a password manager & anti-tracking extension on your phone and laptop.
☑ Other online accounts & banking
Find out the accounts you have, their passwords and what accounts are connected to your partner. e.g. Your doctor or insurance etc.
Result
A list of accounts, their security questions, passwords & connected accounts.
Action
Change details to connected accounts or withdraw from them. Change details on accounts to protect yourself. Don’t use the same password twice.
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