New Year, Better Privacy Habits: A Simple Guide
The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to review your privacy and security settings for the apps and software you use every day. Taking a few intentional minutes now can go a long way toward keeping your data — and your digital memories — safe.
Privacy vs. Convenience
Think of settings as a spectrum between privacy and convenience. Where you land is a personal choice — there’s no right or wrong answer. What matters most is that you’re making intentional choices, rather than relying on default settings.
Some people prefer stronger privacy, opting out of data collection for testing, development, or resale. Others prioritize convenience. Awareness and control are the keys.
Start Small: Manageable Steps
If reviewing all your apps feels overwhelming, break it into bite-sized steps:
Set a goal to review all your apps by the end of January.
If you use many apps, aim for about a dozen per week.
Make a simple list or spreadsheet of the apps and services you actively use.
Keeping a spreadsheet of your digital accounts — similar to how you might track financial or medical accounts — makes future reviews easier. Each time you add a new app or service, add it to the list.
Update Your Passwords
While you’re reviewing settings, take a moment to update your passwords. Use strong, unique passwords for each account, especially those tied to email, cloud storage, or sensitive information. A strong password should be 18–26 characters long and include upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols.
A password manager can make this much easier to manage. Even a few updates now can prevent bigger headaches later and help protect your digital memories.
Why Recheck Even Recently Reviewed Apps
Software updates can reset preferences to default, which sometimes allows data to be used for AI training or algorithm development. Even if you checked recently, it’s worth reviewing again. While quarterly reviews are ideal, an annual review is a great minimum standard, and January is the perfect time.
Takeaway
Give yourself a small but meaningful assignment: review your privacy and security settings, and update passwords where needed. A little intentional action now can make a big difference in keeping your personal data — and your digital memories — secure throughout the year.
