Settings for Apps

Protecting your privacy when downloading, installing, and interacting with apps is something that you should consider. Explore the world of app permissions by accessing the resources below.

Stop and Consider!

• Have you read the app's Terms and Conditions?
• Do you know what the app has access to? (e.g. camera, microphone, location information, contacts, etc.)
• Can you change the app's permissions without affecting its functionality?
• Who gets access to the data collected through your use of the app?
• What kind of privacy options does the app offer?

Browser Settings

Most browsers have a private browsing mode, a feature which helps minimize the amount of information your browsing activity generates and is potentially shared with third parties. Private browsing does not make you anonymous. Learn more about the most common browsers' privacy settings by visiting the pages below:

• Google Chrome - Opens in a new window
• Google Chrome Incognito - Opens in a new window
• Mozilla Firefox - Opens in a new window
• Mozilla Firefox Private Browsing - Opens in a new window
• Microsoft Edge - Opens in a new window
• Microsoft Edge InPrivate - Opens in a new window
• Safari (Apple Privacy Policy) - Opens in a new window
• Safari Private Browsing - Opens in a new window
• Tor Browser - Opens in a new window

Options in Different Platforms/Operating Systems

We all have a platform preference. Google, Microsoft, and Apple are examples of platforms you may interact with on a regular basis. Do you know what privacy options they offer? 

• Google Privacy - Opens in a new window
• Microsoft Privacy - Opens in a new window
• Apple Privacy - Opens in a new window

Cloud Storage

Cloud storage and file sharing solutions revolutionized access, productivity and collaboration. Cloud storage allows for storing and sharing of personal and professional documents, including images and audio visual content. Cloud storage can also have serious implications on privacy. Learn more about them here. 

• Google Drive Terms of Service - Opens in a new window
• iCloud Security and Privacy - Opens in a new window
• OneDrive - Privacy at Microsoft - Opens in a new window
• Dropbox Security and Privacy - Opens in a new window
• Amazon Cloud Drive Terms of Use - Opens in a new window

Cookies & Online Tracking

Have you ever stopped to consider why products you searched for on Amazon show up in your Facebook feed, pop up in your Google search results, or on YouTube? Cookies and other online tracking tools enable this to happen. This can feel like a privacy violation. Targeted online advertising relies on data tracking in order to push "relevant" information out to the end user. Don't want your browsing information tracked - access content through a private browsing window (read more in the Privacy Settings > Browsers box above). 

Privacy and Sexting

Intimate messages (images, videos) shared privately with another person can become a privacy violation when distributed to others without permission. While non-consensual sharing of intimate images and videos can be linked to cyberbullying, it does have privacy implications. Learn more about sexting and privacy by accessing the information below. 

Privacy and Gaming

While scoring points and unlocking new worlds may be the name of most games, privacy shouldn’t be an afterthought. You should take seriously how information is collected, shared and used by everyone in the gaming ecosystem.

Messaging apps

There are many messaging apps out there, such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Signal. These apps all provide different levels of privacy for their users. Compare the different apps to make an informed choice. 

Is Your Phone Listening?

Many of us have had the feeling that our phones are listening to our conversations when we see advertisements for things we say out loud. So is it happening? Read the information below for explanations of how our phones collect and use our information, and what we can do to protect our privacy.