Privacy Settings 101: Walking Through Essential Steps to Protect Your Online Information

In today’s world, safeguarding your personal information online has never been more crucial. With growing concerns over cyber threats, data breaches, and privacy violations, taking control of your online privacy is key to protecting yourself. One of the most effective ways to do this is by adjusting your privacy settings across the platforms you use. In this guide, we’ll walk you through essential steps to protect your online information, using Easybie as a model to demonstrate how you can fine-tune your privacy settings on social media platforms.

1. Review and Adjust Your Social Media Privacy Settings

Social media platforms, including Easybie, collect a lot of personal data. Protecting your privacy means understanding and adjusting your settings properly. Here’s how to tighten your privacy settings on popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Easybie.

Facebook:

• Profile Privacy: Go to your Settings, then click on Privacy. Adjust the Who can see your future posts setting to Friends or Only me to limit visibility.
• Timeline and Tagging: Control who can post on your timeline or tag you in photos by selecting the appropriate audience (e.g., Only me, Friends, or Friends of Friends).
• Apps and Websites: Review which apps have access to your Facebook account under Settings > Apps and Websites. Revoke access to any that you no longer use or trust.
• Facial Recognition: Disable Facial Recognition under Settings > Face Recognition, to stop Facebook from automatically identifying you in photos.

Instagram:

• Account Privacy: Set your account to Private under Settings > Privacy > Account Privacy, which ensures that only approved followers can see your posts.
• Story Settings: You can choose who can see your stories by selecting Story Settings under Settings > Privacy > Story. You can also hide your stories from specific people.
• Tagged Photos: Control who can tag you in photos under Settings > Privacy > Tags, and decide whether to manually approve tags before they appear on your profile.

Easybie:

On Easybie, adjusting your privacy settings allows you to control who can see your profile and interact with you. Here’s a walkthrough of the privacy settings available:

1. Who Can See My Profile & Posts?

• Everyone (public) or My Followers (restricted to those you follow and approve).
• If you choose Everyone, your posts are visible to anyone, while My Followers ensures only those who follow you can see your content.

1. Who Can Follow Me?

• Everyone (public) or Approved Users Only (restricting new followers to those you approve).
• If you choose Everyone, anyone can follow you and see your posts. Selecting Approved Users Only ensures that you control who follows you.

1. Who Can Direct Message Me?

• Everyone (public) or People I Follow (restricted to those you follow).
• This option controls who can send you messages. If you select Everyone, anyone can message you. Choosing People I Follow limits direct messages to those in your follower network.

1. Show Your Profile in Search Engines?

• Yes or No
• If you select Yes, search engines like Google can index your profile, making it discoverable through web searches. If you prefer more privacy, select No to keep your profile hidden from search engines.

1. Who Can See When I’m Online?

• Everyone (public) or Nobody (completely private).
• This setting controls whether others can see when you’re active on the platform. Choosing Everyone makes your online status visible to everyone, while Nobody hides it entirely.

2. Strengthen Your Passwords

Weak or recycled passwords are one of the easiest ways for hackers to gain access to your accounts. Protect your online information by implementing these steps:

• Create Strong, Unique Passwords: Use a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid common passwords like 123456 or password.
• Use a Password Manager: A password manager stores your complex passwords securely, so you don’t have to remember them all. Tools like 1Password, LastPass, or Bitwarden can generate and save passwords for you.
• Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Turn on 2FA for any platform that supports it. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification (such as a text message or an app like Google Authenticator) in addition to your password.

3. Limit Location Tracking

Location tracking is a convenient feature on many apps, but it can also be a serious privacy risk. Here’s how to limit location access:

• On Your Smartphone: Go to your phone’s Settings and review which apps have access to your location. You can disable location services entirely or adjust settings to While Using the App for specific apps.
• Social Media Apps: On platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Easybie, avoid sharing your precise location in your posts, photos, or check-ins. Turn off Location Services in each app’s settings to prevent automatic tagging.
• Google Location History: Google tracks your movements across devices using Google Location History. To turn this off, go to your Google Account > Data & Personalization > Activity Controls, and toggle off Location History.

4. Be Cautious with Apps and Permissions

Many apps request access to more data than they actually need. Here’s how to keep apps from collecting unnecessary information:

• Review App Permissions: Before downloading any app, check the permissions it asks for. Does it need access to your camera, microphone, or contacts? Deny any permissions that seem unnecessary.
• On Android: Go to Settings > Apps > App permissions and adjust what apps can access.
• On iOS: Go to Settings > Privacy and review what data is being accessed by which apps.

5. Protect Your Email Accounts

Your email is often the gateway to your online life, with most platforms sending important information (such as password resets and personal updates) to your inbox. Make sure your email accounts are secure by:

• Using a Strong, Unique Password: As mentioned earlier, use a strong and unique password for your email accounts.
• Enabling Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Most email providers, like Gmail and Outlook, support 2FA. This makes it much harder for hackers to access your inbox.
• Be Wary of Phishing Attempts: Phishing is a common scam where attackers impersonate legitimate companies to steal your login credentials. Never click on links or open attachments from unknown sources.

6. Keep Your Software Updated

Security updates are crucial to protecting your devices from vulnerabilities. Many attacks exploit weaknesses in outdated software, so it’s important to:

• Enable Automatic Updates: Turn on automatic updates for your operating system, apps, and antivirus software to ensure you’re always using the latest versions with security patches.
• Check for Updates Regularly: If you prefer to manage updates manually, make a habit of checking for updates regularly to ensure your software is up to date.

7. Use Encrypted Messaging Apps

Not all messaging apps are created equal when it comes to privacy. To ensure your private conversations remain secure, use messaging apps with end-to-end encryption, such as:

• Signal: A free, open-source app that offers secure, encrypted messaging.
• WhatsApp: While owned by Facebook, WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption to protect your messages.
• Telegram: A popular app that offers encrypted messaging with extra features like self-destructing messages.

8. Monitor Your Online Presence

It’s important to regularly monitor your online presence to see what information is being shared about you. Set up Google Alerts for your name or other identifying information to keep track of what appears about you online. If you find that sensitive information is being shared without your consent, contact the website or platform to request removal.

9. Protect Your Devices with Strong Security

Finally, it’s essential to secure your devices with strong passwords or biometric authentication (fingerprint or facial recognition) to prevent unauthorized access.

• Lock Your Devices: Use PINs, passwords, or biometric security features to lock your devices (smartphones, tablets, and laptops).
• Encrypt Your Devices: Full-device encryption ensures that if your device is lost or stolen, your data remains secure. Most modern smartphones and computers offer encryption as a standard feature.

10. Be Cautious of Public Wi-Fi

Public Wi-Fi networks are convenient but not secure. Avoid accessing sensitive accounts or conducting financial transactions on public Wi-Fi without a VPN (Virtual Private Network). A VPN encrypts your internet traffic, ensuring your data remains secure even on unsecured networks.

Conclusion: Taking Control of Your Privacy

In the digital age, protecting your privacy requires proactive steps to secure your data across different platforms. By regularly reviewing and adjusting your privacy settings on platforms like Easybie, using strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and being mindful of the apps and services you use, you can significantly reduce your online risks.

Remember, privacy is not an all-or-nothing concept—it’s about making informed choices and being vigilant about what you share and with whom. Taking control of your privacy today will help you protect your personal information and enjoy a safer online experience.