Understand personal information
Personal information includes your name, contact details, home address, location, date of birth, identity documents, financial details and information about your daily activities. Individual details may seem harmless, but several details combined can reveal much more about you.
Think before sharing
Before posting a photograph, document or personal update, consider who may see it and whether it reveals private details. Images can contain visible addresses, identification documents, school or workplace information and other clues. Information shared with a limited audience can still be copied or forwarded.
Review privacy and app permissions
Check who can view your profiles, posts, contact information and location. Review the permissions granted to apps. A flashlight app, for example, generally has no obvious need for access to your contacts or microphone. Remove permissions that are unnecessary.
Use shared devices carefully
Avoid saving passwords on public or shared devices. Sign out when finished, close private pages and avoid accessing sensitive accounts when you cannot trust the device. Do not assume that closing a browser window automatically removes every trace of your activity.
Control what you can
Use available privacy controls, limit unnecessary information in public profiles and keep devices and apps updated. You cannot control every copy of information once it has been shared, so prevention is often the most effective protection.