GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – As Spring Cleaning season hits, it’s important to remember to clean up your digital presence, just as much as it is to clean up your house.
Cleaning out old junk from your house feels good, and so does clearing out clutter on your phone or computer. Susan Bach of the Better Business Bureau says it’s a good time to take a look at all of your devices.
“Make sure that your cleaning up the clutter on your phone, your laptop, any kind of digital device that you might have…Back up your data at least once a week or a make sure that you use some kind of cloud system,” Bach said. “Make sure that you have up to date systems and software, because if you don’t have the current software browsers or operating system, that makes you vulnerable to viruses…review all of the privacy settings on your phone or your tablet including deleting any apps that you no longer use.”
Having a phone full of old apps from a one-time vacation or thinking a game looked fun not only clutters the screen, it bogs down the speed and again leaves you more susceptible to potential security breaches.
But if a device is broken or the drive failed, that doesn’t mean you can just throw it in the junk pile. Whether it’s an external hard drive, USB, flash memory, smart watch – even a copier, printer, or fax machine – it can still hold digital information about you.
“Breaking up your hard drive with the hammer is it not going to wipe that hard drive of the data. It really needs to be checked by a professional shredding company,” Bach said. “Even though your device might fail that doesn’t mean that the data has gone away it’s there and can be used or received by an identity thief…Have it professionally cleaned or wiped by an expert, but there are some things that you can do on your own like making sure that you empty your trash on all of your devices.”
To learn more about ways to de-clutter your devices and improve digital safety, head to BBB.org.
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