In the recent months I've become more aware of my digital footprint and have been doing a lot digital spring cleaning. Of course we all know nothing really gets permanently deleted from servers but anything I'm able to remove from the public such as reddit/forums submissions and posts I have been doing so. What I'm currently doing is attempting to sign-in into any website where I supplied my real name, phone number and attempting to change/update it to a different name, remove phone number, billing details (example: LiveNation, Regal Cinemas, Retail stores)
Ask HN: How do you manage your digital footprint in 2023?
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Re: Ask HN: How do you manage your digital footprint in 2023?
#2I sometimes go through my 1Password logins by oldest and see what I can delete. Otherwise, nothing. I don't post that often any more.
Re: Ask HN: How do you manage your digital footprint in 2023?
#3Privacy.com helps in terms of online payments. Generates credit card numbers that will accept any name or billing address when charged.
Re: Ask HN: How do you manage your digital footprint in 2023?
#4Use guest checkout whenever possible.
If you do need to sign up, give fake info, or highly redacted info. If I decide later they actually need it, I can update it in the account settings. Nobody's ever cancelled my account because I said I was born Jan 1 over 120 years ago.
Do digital purchases via some middleman, like a PayPal account backed by a credit card, Apple Pay, etc. Lots of sites have PayPal checkout flows and it saves you having to share your CC directly.
Come up with site-specific usernames and store them in your password manager. That way you don't build a stable cross-site identity unless you're doing it intentionally for branding.
Re: Ask HN: How do you manage your digital footprint in 2023?
#5As if https://xkcd.com/979/ wasn't bad enough, people are deleting posts and submissions now? Am I old and getting out of touch, or are kids these days not just not thinking through things before they post?
Re: Ask HN: How do you manage your digital footprint in 2023?
#6Keep as much local as possible. Do anything involving money or your personal info inside a dedicated VM running a secure OS, or use QubesOS. Use a dumb phone instead of a smart phone. Keep your passwords in a local encrypted text file. If you need a password or other data on the road, SSH into your home machine from your laptop (which has an encrypted disk). Go back to using fake nick names instead of your real name whenever you post online. If some service requires a phone number, other personal info, or an app install, don't use it unless you have absolutely no choice. Use FLOSS and don't pay for software with your money or by viewing ads.
Reject the notion that you NEED these BigTech services and don't let them hold your life, well-being, or friends hostage.
Re: Ask HN: How do you manage your digital footprint in 2023?
#7Privacy.com helps in terms of online payments. Generates credit card numbers that will accept any name or billing address when charged.
Unfortunately it's available only in the US...
Re: Ask HN: How do you manage your digital footprint in 2023?
#8I’ve been loving iCloud Hide My Email. Every site gets a different disposable address.
The fun part is when I do get spam I know exactly which site has sold my info. It is a handy way to know who to never do business again with.
Re: Ask HN: How do you manage your digital footprint in 2023?
#9Different account names for everything. I never use my real name and usually browse over Tor or with a VPN. If I watch a video it’s after I liberated it with yt-dlp. Reset my home Internet connection to get a different IP daily. I long ago deleted all my posts to Reddit and Facebook. I also ditched my gmail I had for over 20 years, I don’t trust those weasels.
Re: Ask HN: How do you manage your digital footprint in 2023?
#10Privacy.com helps in terms of online payments. Generates credit card numbers that will accept any name or billing address when charged.
You’re just giving your data to them though.