Data Privacy Strategy

No one is perfect. Just do what you feel is appropriate for you.

Five main identifiers used to define you

By changing some of these, you start to break data brokers' ability to tie your activity to you.

1. Your email address

   • Create a burner email address (and USE it for any unimportant stuff). This is an email you won't really check much (More at Email Privacy)
   • Create email aliases. Some email providers (like Proton Mail) come with this feature. There are also aliasing services that allow you to create aliases forward to your existing email.
   • Use a temporary email address for unimportant things.

2. Phone number

   • Use Virtual phone numbers to avoid always using the same phone number for everything

3. Your debit card

   • Apple Pay automatically hides your real debit card number when you pay with it.
   • Google Pay also offers virtual card numbers
   • Privacy.com allows you to create virtual card numbers to use when paying online (free for up to 12 virtual cards)

4. Your browser

   • Secure your browser situation by installing a good browser and a few extensions that limit data leaking

5. Your device (laptop, smartphone)

   • Think about sensors rather than apps. Limit Permissions access to your microphone, camera, location, bluetooth
   • Install Adblocking in your browser or, even better, for you entire network
   • Lock down your social media accounts
   • Apps are potential liabilitites. Don't install apps you don't trust. If you do, don't give them permission to use your location, camera, microphone, etc.
   • Minimize your Digital Footprint and obfuscate: Use burner emails, avoid posting sensitive info, use fake information, pseudonyms,
   • Enable two-factor authentication (2FA), especially for anything email or money related.
   • Choose "dumb" devices over "smart" ones. No one needs a refrigerator that connects to the Internet.

Protect the $

• Freeze your credit at the three major credit bureaus. Unfreeze it when you need it.

Opt out from Data Brokers

• Register for Preference Services (see the Privacy Spreadsheet)
• As of 2026, California residents can now register at one website, DROP to automatically send opt-out/delete requests to all registered data brokers!
• Opt Out from Data Brokers: Opt Out from as many data brokers as you have patience for (see Data Broker tab of the Privacy Spreadsheet). By opting out, you're unlisting yourself from the biggest websites people find your info.
  • Benefits of Opting Out: Less spam email, less spam calls, less risk of identity theft.

Make Informed Decisions

• Follow orgs like:
  • Electronic Frontier Foundation,
  • Privacy Rights Clearinghouse,
  • World Privacy Forum
• Have I Been Pwned to monitor data breaches you may have been in.
• ToSDR or Privacy Not Included are both sites designed to rate common products based on how they handle their customers' privacy