You probably don’t let unopened mail pile up on your kitchen counter for years. Or keep every receipt you’ve ever touched “just in case.” But many of us do exactly that—digitally.

If you’ve used the internet for a while (20 years? 25?), you likely have old online accounts, email subscriptions and profiles that you only vaguely recall signing up for. Not to mention all the web sites we visit – today, three weeks ago, six months ago.

Technologists call it “digital dust.” It is the invisible trail of data we leave behind every time we look up that special restaurant in Victoria, research new running shoes or post a funny vacation photo. It can seem harmless, but this “dust” silently accumulates into a detailed map of our online habits, locations, and personal interests that companies—and unfortunately, scammers—use.

So it’s good idea to do some digital spring cleaning, and you don’t need to be a computer whiz to do it. Here is a straightforward guide to cleaning up your digital dust and reclaiming some privacy.

1. Clean Up Your Search History

Most of our online activity goes through search engines. Each has a way to delete your search history but we’ll use Google as an example because it has about 90% of the market.

• Visit the Google My Activity dashboard. You can see exactly what has been recorded. You can choose to “Delete activity by” and chose a time frame: last hour, last day, all time, or a custom range.
• There are several other options there so spend some time selecting the ones you prefer to help stop your search “dust” from piling up again.

• On an iPhone go to: Settings—Apps—Safari—tap on Clear History and Website Data

2. De-Clutter Your “App” Drawer

Remember that flashlight app you downloaded on your phone five years ago? Or the cycling app that tracks your rides in real time? Unless you turn specific features off, many apps continue to track or access your contacts even if you haven’t opened the app in months.

• Take 15 minutes to go through your phone and review each app. When was the last time you used it? Was it a one time download to make a reservation or purchase?
• Don’t just delete the app icon from your screen (usually by pressing and holding on it for a few seconds); if the app is actually an account requiring log in, go in one last time to permanently close the account before deleting the app. This should stop that particular company from continuing to collect your data.

Review the Apps section of your iPhone carefully. It contains a list (often alphabetical) of all the ones you have. Many come preloaded with the phone while others we add in a hurry (to  pay for parking, for example) then forget about or ignore if we notice it later.

3. Check Your Social Media Windows

Social media like Facebook, Instagram and Spotify are where we tend to leave the most “weight” in our digital footprint.

• Review your privacy settings for each platform. Ensure your profile is set to “Friends Only” or “Private” rather than “Public.” Millions of us post photos while on vacation, which can be a lot of fun. But it can also be a big flashing sign saying your home is empty and you are far away. In addition to review account privacy and location settings also check in the Apps section of Settings on your phone. For example, in the Instagram app (not your account) there is an “Allow Tracking” tab you may want to turn off.
• And speaking of photos, they often contain metadata, hidden info that includes the exact GPS coordinates of where the photo was taken. You can turn off “Location Services” for your camera in your phone’s settings to prevent this “dust” from being possibly accessed by third parties.

4. Tidy Up Your Inbox

Email inboxes are often the dustiest corners of our digital lives, filled with newsletters and advertisements we no longer read.

• Schedule 30 minutes to go through the most recent four weeks of your inbox and deleted items folder. You’re hunting for junk mail, the ones you cannot recall signing up for, or did but no longer need. For example, if you bought tickets for almost any type of show, concert or event you are probably getting regular marketing emails.
• Instead of just deleting them, open and scroll to the very bottom and look for the tiny “Unsubscribe” link. This breaks the connection between you and that sender, reducing the amount of data they collect about your opening habits (and they do!).
• Be very cautious about the real unknowns. Never click on any links, including the unsubscribe button in an email that just looks strange or is from an organization or person you’ve never heard of. Classic phishing or virus emails include ones from a bank you do not deal with or from the Canada Revenue Agency saying you have a nice refund — if you will just click here please. Same goes for almost any “You’ve Won” emails.
• For those emails it is best to hover over it in your inbox listing, right click, choose Junk and then choose “Block sender”.

Why Bother?

Cleaning your digital dust is essentially about safety. By reducing your online footprint you can make it harder for identity thieves to uncover information they can use to impersonate you. By doing a little digital dusting once a season, you can enjoy all the benefits of the internet while also helping to safeguard your privacy.

 

Any view or opinion expressed in this piece are solely those of the Representative and do not necessarily represent those of Harbourfront Wealth Management Inc. The information contained herein was obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however accuracy is not guaranteed. The information transmitted is intended to provide general guidance on matters of interest for the personal use of the viewer, who accepts full responsibility for its use, and is not to be considered a definitive analysis of the law or factual situations of any individual or entity. Any asset classes featured in this piece are for illustration purposes only and should not be viewed as a solicitation to buy or sell. Past performance does not necessarily predict future performance, and each asset class has its own risks. As such, this content should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a professional tax or legal expert, or professional advisors. Prior to making any decision or taking any action, you should consult with a licensed professional advisor.