Mobile apps often ask for numerous permissions, including access to your camera, contacts list and geolocation. Think hard before permitting them, since some applications only want these abilities for data harvesting purposes. For example, it’s not usually vital to give Facebook access to your location, or to let Instagram listen in on your microphone.

Whether gaming on your console or a PC, form a voice chat party using the console’s party app or a third-party PC app, rather than using a game’s in-game chat. This will keep your conversation private and ensure you and your friends will remain anonymous, even if you divulge self-identifying information. In-game chats are open […]

After booting up your new console for the first time, take a moment to go through the settings and set your profile so that only friends can view it. This alleviates spam messages and keeps your activity private from anyone who isn’t in your friends list, including games or apps you’re currently playing. This also […]

If you’re planning on having a movie night, consider signing into your smart TV ahead of time. If you have to do it with others around, make sure they’re people you can trust with your credentials. Otherwise, have everyone leave the room so your credentials remain private. Your sign-in information can be a direct line […]

You can change Snapchat’s settings so that only the people you choose can view your location. To change your location settings, tap the gear button at the top of the Map screen. From there you can change who can see your location or hide your location from everyone by turning on Ghost Mode. You can […]

Currently, the default privacy setting for Snapchat is that only people you’ve added can view your story. You can make those settings stricter for a higher level of security. To limit who can see your Snapchat story, do the following: Tap the gear icon under My Profile to open the settings menu. Scroll down to […]