Unused, broken or still great? Organize into categories: Most of you probably know the Japanese organization consultant Marie Kondo. According to her “Konmari method,” when tidying up your own four walls, you should decide as quickly as possible whether something brings you joy (“Does it spark joy?”) or whether you can get rid of it. We claim that this also applies to digital life. So let’s do some digital spring cleaning!

  • Unused or unpopular apps? Away with it!
  • Haven't looked at apps in a while but are still somehow useful? Then “repair” it! Check whether the (privacy) settings still meet your expectations and change them if necessary.
  • Apps you can't and don't want to live without? Keep! Apps that really bring you joy and don't cost you more money or energy than they provide can - in fact, must - stay. Here, too, we recommend taking a close look at the settings you have made, because even with apps you use regularly, you tend to forget to question your own standards from time to time.

Why clean up digitally?

We all love apps and social networks and like to try new things. A lot of applications quickly accumulate on your smartphone or tablet that you no longer know or use. This not only uses up a lot of storage space on the device, but also creates unnecessary data waste and even pollutes the climate.

Regular clearing out is also required for active accounts: the more intensively social networks such as Instagram, WhatsApp and Co. are used, the more data and information accumulates on them. In addition, outdated profiles or unflattering photos on the Internet make you look quite old - in the truest sense of the word.

Okay, we admit it: tidying up is not a philosophy of life for us. Nevertheless, there are also some steps in the digital environment that have proven themselves and should urgently be carried out from time to time.

1. Clean out apps

The first step is probably the easiest. All apps that are no longer used or that no longer seem familiar can be removed . Apps that the cell phone needs to function cannot simply be deleted anyway - so be brave! Apps that require access permissions that go beyond actual use (does a flashlight really need access to our location data?) or that appear dubious to us can also There is a good alternative for almost everything - even if it sometimes costs a small amount of money instead of our data.

2. Reduce accounts

Do you actually even know which social networks you are registered with? Get an overview and delete all accounts and accesses that you no longer use . Once you're logged into Facebook, it doesn't mean you have to stay there forever. Use our step-by-step instructions to delete social networks.

3. Sift through content

You are not proud of everything that you have posted, liked, tagged, shared, commented on or otherwise published on the Internet at some point in the here and now. Personal attitudes or perceptions of values ​​change over time - ideally also online. Therefore, delete old posts, photos and interactions and question what digital image you want to convey.

4. Sort out friends

, it's worth regularly questioning friendships in the online world . Do you even know who is behind an account anymore? Do you see each other every now and then in your offline life? Or is there at least a digital exchange with these people from time to time? And: Are these contacts actually good for you? Not? Then why are you still friends with them? Exactly – get rid of it!

5. Question groups

Even in groups on social networks, a lot of unnecessary things accumulate over time. “Anna’s birthday November 2017” “Paul’s hen party” “Media law working group”? You don't need any more! Especially in messenger services like WhatsApp, an unmanageable number of groups causes one thing above all: stress and chaos . On Facebook or other platforms, membership in various groups can also cast a distorted light on oneself or simply reveal too much about one's private interests. Ask yourself: Which group do I really use and which is just a relic from times gone by? And: Do I want to be seen that way by others?

6. Check privacy settings

Have you now thought carefully about which apps you want to keep and which ones you can safely leave behind? Good this way! Now it's a good idea to check privacy settings - because not only your personal priorities, but also the options in the applications change frequently . Changes are often not communicated to users at all or only in a hidden manner. step-by-step instructions for protecting your privacy can help .

7. Check account security

Are your apps and the associated information important to you? Then make sure strong passwords and set up two-factor authentication . Also, choose different passwords and don't just use a one-size-fits-all password.

8. Keep an eye on your online image

Well, we only ever talk about apps and social networks. But even outside of these, data about you quickly accumulates on the Internet. Do you know e.g. B. what data does Google have about you? Or what other websites do you appear on? Enter your own name (“First Name Last Name”) into a search engine and view the results . Outdated or inappropriate content or photos appear? Request that the site operators delete it or, if possible, remove the content yourself. Set up a Google alert to be automatically informed about new content with your name. If you have any problems, get help from the Internet Ombudsman and defend yourself .

9. Manage “digital estate”.

We understand: No one wants to deal with what happens to their possessions after their death. Nevertheless, it is advisable to also regulate digital heritage (data that circulates on the Internet or on social networks) . For surviving relatives, leftover accounts etc. represent a major challenge in addition to grief - reason enough to take active precautions and, above all, to decide for themselves what happens to your own data. More and more online services are also offering standardized solutions in the event of death - the ISPA “Digital Estate”

10. Create backups

It's possible that the Japanese tidying up expert doesn't agree with us - and not just on this point - but: If there's some order back in your digital life, it's time to back up your data ! Prevent data loss by backing up your data regularly , i.e. copying it to a second storage location - ideally on an external hard drive that is not permanently connected to the computer. You should also always copy important data on your smartphone or tablet to your PC's hard drive. Alternatively, you can also use special backup apps or cloud storage services (pay attention to data protection!). Oh yes! Cloud storage and hard drives also need to be sorted and cleaned up regularly!

Source: Saferinternet

Also read:
Looks like a pure chain letter, but it's not really: In fact, many Facebook profiles are copied.


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