Privacy Audit Checklist

Phone (15 min)

• Settings → Privacy & Security → review every app permission.
• Apps with location: only when needed.
• Apps with camera/mic: disable for ones that don't need it.
• Settings → Tracking → "Allow Apps to Request to Track" OFF.
• Apple → Privacy & Security → Analytics → OFF.
• Settings → Safari → "Prevent Cross-Site Tracking" ON.

Google account (10 min)

1. Go to myaccount.google.com.
2. Privacy + Personalization → Activity controls.
3. Web + App Activity — auto-delete every 3 months.
4. Location History — OFF.
5. YouTube History — auto-delete or off.
6. Ad personalization — OFF.
7. Privacy Checkup — runs you through everything.

Facebook (10 min)

1. Settings → Privacy Checkup.
2. Audience for posts: Friends only.
3. Profile photo + cover: Public OK.
4. Location, religion, politics: Friends only OR remove.
5. Off-Facebook Activity → Disconnect Future Activity.
6. Settings → Apps and Websites → Remove unused.

Free privacy tools

• DuckDuckGo Privacy Pro — $10/mo. VPN + email aliasing + data broker removal.
• Mullvad VPN — $5/mo. Privacy-first.
• Have I Been Pwned — free. Check if your email leaked in any breach.
• Apple Hide My Email — generate throwaway addresses.
• Bitwarden / 1Password — strong unique passwords (free + paid).

Annual maintenance

• Run privacy audit every January.
• Check breached emails on haveibeenpwned.com.
• Pull free credit report (annualcreditreport.com).
• Review Medicare statement for unfamiliar charges.
• Delete old apps you don't use.