• Use a secure password for each account. The longer you make it and the more varied characters you use, the harder it is for someone to guess it.
• Use obscure password recovery questions or fake answers. Data like family names are in public records. Info about pets and jobs might be on social media.
• Use a password manager. Such software can create and store strong passwords for you. Paper logs might be options for accounts you only access at home.
• Change your password regularly. For example, you can set a calendar reminder to change your passwords every 6 months. If someone leaks or steals your password, this makes it less likely it will still work when someone else tries to use it.
• Set up two-factor authentication (2FA) for any accounts you can. This adds a single-use code to your log-in process, which you receive through text message, phone call, email, or a dedicated app. It adds an extra layer of protection in case someone steals your password. Setting up 2FA is available through security or log-in settings on major platforms like Gmail, WhatsApp, Outlook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. 
• Create new log-in alerts for any accounts you can. This can help you respond to a hack in real time. For example, Gmail and Instagram can send alerts for log-ins from new locations or devices for your account.
• Use a more secure password for your mobile devices, wherever you can. For example, use a secure password instead of your fingerprint, which can be copied from anything you touch. Use a longer PIN, if your device allows it. Use a password with numbers, letters, and other characters instead of a PIN, if your device allows it.

• Delete private messages and personal posts regularly. For example, you can set a calendar reminder to delete messages and posts every 6 months.
• Don’t put addresses, passwords, and sensitive info in private messages or emails. You can provide such information over the phone or in a messenger application that allows you to delete your messages for everyone. If you have sent such information via email, you can delete it from your account and ask the recipient to delete it from theirs.
• Use unique passwords for each account.
• Use a mix of 2FA and password recovery methods across accounts. If someone gets into one of your accounts with a particular password and 2FA method, they can’t just use those exact same steps to access all your other accounts.

• Reduce the number of social media, messenger, and email accounts you keep logged in on your phone, tablet, laptop, etc. Delete as many social media, email, and messaging apps as you can.  
• Log out of social media, messenger, and email accounts when you are done with them. Especially on mobile devices.

• How comfortable are you with strangers knowing where you are in real time?
• How comfortable are you with strangers knowing where you live? 
• How comfortable are you with strangers knowing where you work?
• How comfortable are you with strangers knowing about your family?

• Are you sharing your info for professional networking and development?
• Are you sharing your info to receive social support?
• Are you sharing your info for fun?
• Do you want to use less public means to accomplish your goals? For example, you could post a particular question to a workplace listserv rather than on social media.
• Do you want to share less info to accomplish your goals? For example, you could share only your most recent work history on LinkedIn, rather than an exhaustive resume.

• Are you concerned about sharing photo, video, audio, and document metadata? It can include info about files’ associated usernames, devices, and time/location of creation. If this does concern you, delete metadata before sharing any media online.
• Are you concerned about an attendee or organizer sharing event guest list information? Event guest lists might be available for attendees, sponsors, or the public. They might include whatever information you shared as part of registration. If this does concern you, check events’ data sharing policies. Check if you can opt out of data sharing. You can always register with minimum professional contact info or contact info you create specifically for these kinds of events.
• Are you concerned about your photos, likes, follows, and comments on social media revealing your home or office location? If this does concern you, you can limit your online interactions with local business pages and private neighborhood groups. You can refrain from posting photos/videos taken near where you live, work, or play. You can refrain from sharing information about local news, weather, and other location-specific current events.
• Are you concerned about how long your posts are available for others to look up? If so, you can delete old posts regularly and use more time-limited posting methods (e.g. Stories).

• Clean up your friends lists and social media connections regularly.
• Customize social media privacy settings so you are comfortable with who can officially view your posts.
• Leave old group chats, Facebook groups, online forums, etc. Try to delete your old messages before you leave.
• Delete your inactive social media accounts.

• Request data deletion from popular databases like Spokeo and Whitepages.
• Use a subscription service like DeleteMe or Incogni to manage data removal requests from a wide array of data clearinghouses.
• Reach out to old employers and schools if you want them to remove your info from their websites. Your point of contact will be context-specific, e.g. a professor who runs their lab’s social media accounts, or a department administrator who shares alumni updates.

• Search for yourself on multiple search engines, databases, and social media apps.
• Use a reverse image search to find photos of yourself online.
• Set up Google Alerts for the search terms you used to look up your info online.

Repeat the steps from the checklists above if you don’t feel comfortable with the level of information you find.

• Don’t use personal contact info to network, register for conferences, join Zoom calls, submit articles to journals, or create professional social media accounts. 
• If you don’t have work or school contact info, you can create new ones for yourself. You can make an email address and Zoom account only for professional purposes. You can get a free phone number through Google Voice or use a paid VoIP service. You can use a P.O. box or virtual mailbox service. This way, you have contact info you can give out more freely and replace if need be.
• Don’t register a professional website with your personal info. Register through your employer or make a website using their existing web resources. If you need to register your own web domain, use a proxy registration service so your info is not publicly available in records of web domain registrations.
• Don’t repost content across accounts you want to separate. For example, if someone sees your anonymous personal account post the same photos right before your work account, they might guess the two are connected.
• Remember: someone might piece together your social circles based on your public interactions on social media. Adjust your activity to your comfort level.
• Consider using a pseudonym for personal or professional social media accounts.

• Discuss your concerns of harassment with friends, family, and coworkers.
• Ask friends, family, and coworkers to delete posts with info you wouldn’t want to share about yourself.
• Customize your accounts’ platform-specific settings for comment moderation, private message requests, muting accounts, muting posts with specific words, tagging permissions, etc. This helps you control who can interact with you on a specific platform.

• Download important personal photos and messages from social media. This can help you feel more comfortable deleting posts or whole accounts. This can also make it easier to leave a specific platform in case of an emergency.
• Instead of using social media, share more of your photos and messages 1-on-1 or in small groups via dedicated messenger apps, email, physical copies, etc. This won’t necessarily keep that info private. But it can help you leave a less public digital record of your life. This can also make it easier to leave a specific platform in case of an emergency.

• Ask yourself what you want from specific communication channels. Ask yourself why you share specific info online.
• Consider whether you can share less info to get what you want. For example, focus on promoting your presentation instead of posting about all the conference events you’re attending.
• Consider whether you can use a less public online channel to get what you want. For example, ask for help via a group chat or email list instead of a public post.
• Consider whether you can use an offline channel to get what you want. For example, network in-person through trusted colleagues rather than online.
• Consider whether you need to be the one doing the public communication work. For example, work with your employer’s communication department to promote your work through media pitches, organizational social media accounts, etc.