Online Privacy Checklist

What can you do to maintain your online safety & autonomy? Complete the following steps to start taking back control of your online presence!

1. Take stock of your online presence

  • Check haveibeenpwned.com to see if your account credentials have been included in any past breaches. Prioritize changing these credentials in step 2.

  • Open an incognito browser window and Google yourself.

    • Take note of anything you want to be removed from your search results (you will find public data websites with your address, phone number, etc.)

    • Are your social media accounts showing up in Google searches? Are your profiles public? 

    • Consider what public information might be online about you, such as professional licensure, website registration (WHOIS), voter registration, corporate or nonprofit filings, real estate records.

2. Secure your accounts

  • Change your most important passwords so they are unique and longer than 12 characters. Use passphrases to get to 12. 

    • BONUS POINTS: Download & start using a password manager to store all your new, unique passwords.

  • Secure your important accounts with two-factor authentication.

    • BONUS POINTS: Set up the Authy app as your second factor of authentication.

  • Be on high alert for phishing emails.


3. Make your harassment prevention & response plans 

  • Remember your Google results? Complete the information removal process for the sites you found with your data.

  • Set up Google Alerts for your name, number, & address.

  • Explore and tighten your social media privacy settings using this guide from the New York Times.

  • Consider using an alternative address & number.

    • Purchase a commercial mail receiving agency box (like a UPS box) so you have an address to use besides your home address

    • Get a free Google Voice or affordable Twilio or MySudo number to use.

  • Talk with your loved ones & friends about your increased risk profile, and recruit them:

    • As supporters to help you deal with trolls if you are targeted. 

    • To consider the information they post publicly about you. 

  • Make a response plan before you need one.

    • Identify a safe place to go or a friend to come over if you feel unsafe at home.

    • Learn how to document threats to save as evidence.

    • Enlist colleagues, friends, & loved ones as a community safety team to help you deal with future attacks. 

Resource library:

 

Last updated 1/10/21

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