Privacy Chapter 14 — Quick Privacy Wins & Your One-Week Upgrade Plan

Pallav Avatarit
Nov 14, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Nov 25, 2025

Privacy improvements don’t have to be complicated. Some fixes take minutes, and others can be done over the course of a week. This chapter combines fast wins with a simple seven-day upgrade roadmap.

Quick Privacy Wins (for Everyday People):

These are small steps most people overlook — but fixing them takes only a few minutes and makes a huge difference in protecting your personal data. No tech skills required.

1. Delete Old Accounts You No Longer Use

Old accounts still hold your data — your phone number, address, even past orders.

Think: Flipkart, OLX, UrbanCompany, or random contest websites.
Use this site: justdelete.me to find deletion links easily.

Rule: If you haven’t used a service in over a year, and it’s not essential, delete it.

2. Clean Up App Permissions (It Takes 2 Minutes)

Every app on your phone asks for permissions — camera, mic, contacts, location. But do they need it?

Go to Settings → Privacy → Permissions
Revoke access to apps that don’t truly need your camera, mic, or location
Do this once every 3–6 months

Example: Zomato does not need access to your microphone.

3. Wipe Metadata from Documents Before Sharing

Your resume, PDFs, and Word files carry hidden data like your name, device, software version, even location.

On Word/Excel: File → Info → Inspect Document → Remove Personal Info
On Mac: Use Preview > Export as PDF to strip some metadata
For tech-savvy users: Use a tool like MAT2 or ExifTool

Especially important when uploading resumes to job portals or sharing files on public forums.

4. Lock Your SIM and Avoid Permanent Card Storage

Set a SIM PIN (in Mobile Settings) so no one can use your SIM if your phone is stolen.
Avoid saving debit/credit cards permanently in UPI apps or shopping sites.

Enter card info manually each time for sensitive purchases.

5. Don’t Use “Sign in with Google” or Facebook Login

These logins track you across every app and site.

Instead:

Use “Sign in with Apple” (it hides your email)
Or create private aliases using Proton Pass or SimpleLogin

Rule: If the service doesn’t let you sign up directly with email, think twice.

6. Strip Photo Metadata Before Uploading

Every photo you take has GPS coordinates, camera details, and timestamps.

Before sharing on Instagram or anywhere online:

Use Exiftool to remove metadata of the photos or videos
Or screenshot the photo before uploading (works in a pinch)

Original photos stay safe in your library.

7. Clear History on Shared Printers and Scanners

If you’re printing or scanning at office, school, hotel or cyber cafés:

Always clear recent files or history from the device/software

Especially for Aadhaar cards, medical reports, or passport scans.

8. Review Third-Party App Integrations

Many apps silently connect to other apps/services (payment apps, cloud drives, calendars, contacts). A quick review once in a while prevents surprise data leaks.

On iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → App Privacy Report
On Android: Settings → Privacy → Permission Manager

Many people unknowingly allow apps to read clipboard, location, contacts, or background activity.

9. Update Your Devices

Most data breaches happen on outdated devices.

Turn on Automatic Updates for iOS, macOS, Windows, Android
Regularly update apps from App Store or Play Store

All the privacy rules fail if your OS has a known exploit.

Disable Unnecessary “Always-On” Tracking (Takes 60 Seconds)

Many apps quietly track your activity in the background — even when you’re not using them. This includes Bluetooth scanning, Wi-Fi scanning, location services, and background refresh. Turning these off reduces constant passive tracking and saves battery life.

Turn off Bluetooth & Wi-Fi Scanning
iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → System Services
Android: Settings → Location → Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Scanning → Off
Disable Background App Refresh
iPhone: Settings → General → Background App Refresh → Off for unneeded apps
Android: Settings → Apps → Select App → Battery → Restrict background activity
Turn off “Precise Location” for apps that don’t need it (Zomato, Instagram, Swiggy, Uber unless booking a ride)

Rule: If an app doesn’t absolutely need your real-time location, it shouldn’t have access to it.

Your Privacy Starter Plan (One Week Guide):

Feeling overwhelmed after reading the whole blog? Don’t worry — start small.

Use this checklist to take back your privacy step by step:

Day 1: Set up Proton Pass or Bitwarden and create 10 strong passwords
Day 2: Install Brave + uBlock Origin
Day 3: Setup 2-Factor Authentication on most websites using Ente Auth or Proton Authenticator
Day 4: Turn on Advanced Data Protection in iCloud and End-to-End Encryption Backup everywhere possible (including WhatsApp)
Day 5: Try Signal with one family member
Day 6: Export Google Photos → Try Ente or Synology
Day 7: Install Proton VPN and Switch your email to Proton Mail