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- What if, at your next job interview, your potential employer pulls out problematic tweets or nude photos you posted online five years ago? Well, that might be unlikely, but someone using that to blackmail you isn't. We put out so much information into the internet daily that it's hard to trace it all back, and sometimes it's even harder to delete. And if you've ever tried to completely delete every trace of yourself online, I have some news for you. It's impossible. However, there are ways you can reduce your digital footprint. So, here's what you need to know if you've ever Googled: "How can I delete myself from the internet?" (upbeat electronic music) You might be watching this because Edward Snowden influenced you to cover your tracks, and you want to know how. Or you might be watching because you're fully aware that are probably checking what you do online. And even though we put that information out there voluntarily, it still feels invasive when those strangers look it up. But I just want to start off by saying that deleting yourself from the internet could impact your personal and professional life in many ways. (upbeat electronic music) Here's a quick preview of what could be affected as you minimize your digital footprint: oh, and the ability to watch Contechtual. If you're cool with all that, then let's get started with the basics. (upbeat electronic music) Now, the easiest way to reduce your digital footprint is by deleting or deactivating you social media. That includes accounts on Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitter, and any other apps you use to post random thoughts, pics, and opinions. By deleting your social media, you immediately reduce the biggest layer of personal data that is publicly available to strangers. But there's a difference between deactivating and deleting. Deleting your account will permanently erase all your data from the public eye and the company's back-end server. Deactivating just makes your profile and data invisible to the rest of the online world. But it remains on the servers of the platform. So, you'll want to make sure you know which you're doing. With some companies, you'll have to reach out to them and personally ask for them to delete your data. Google is an example of that. If there's a search result you'd like to take down, you have to reach out. On the other hand, you have companies like Facebook, which have clear instructions available online on how to deactivate or delete your account. But it's important to note that Facebook claims it could take up to 90 days for all your stuff to actually get deleted from its network. Anyway, deactivating is pretty easy. Deleting can be a bit tedious, but that's because you'll want to make sure you delete all of your third-party accounts connected to your Facebook and Google first. That means entertainment apps like Tinder, Spotify, Pokemon Go, Hulu, and any other accounts you created using your Facebook or Google login. If you don't delete Tinder before ditching Facebook or Google, you'll lose access, but Tinder will keep all your data. Social media will be the easiest thing to get rid of, because you can live without it. But I know you all need that validation. If you're really serious about reducing your online presence, delete your Gmail or any other unencrypted email service you use. This is necessary because every time you send an email, you're sending your IP address, aka your virtual address, which can very easily be translated to your physical location. A quick solution for this would be using encrypted email services such as ProtonMail. And while we're talking about location tracking, hiding your digital tracks would also mean using a VPN, or virtual private network, every time you access the internet. You'll also have to use search engines such as DuckDuckGo that don't track what you search like Google does. Let's move on to data brokers. You know when you Google yourself and see all those databases pop up with all your basic information, like phone number, addresses, and social media handles? Well, those are data brokers. These databases gather all the information about you that's online through public records and then either sell it to private companies or just put it up for free for the public to see. But all these sites, including Whitepages, Spokeo, and Intelius should have ways to opt out. It will take you a while, and there's always the possibility that your name will pop up again in one of these databases, so you'll have to make a habit of checking every so often. Just think about it like a scavenger hunt or a whack-a-mole. It'll be fun, trust me. There are also online resources that can help eliminate the websites you're registered under. One of them is jusdelete.me, an extremely thorough directory of links to delete your account from any web services. You just search for the website you're trying to leave, and chances are it has a direct link to that delete button your looking for. Justdelete.me will also tell you how easy or hard it is to leave a website, and sometimes it'll also have specific instructions on how to do it. (upbeat electronic music) As we move into a more tech-friendly future, it will be harder to avoid having an online presence. I mean, it's already hard. We have the option to do almost everything online: shop, game, communicate, and even get intimate. But it's important to know that you have control over what you put out there. You don't have to go all hardcore and purge everything, by the way, unless you want to get rid of your smartphone and go back to using a flip phone. That'd be an easy fix to most of these challenges. I'm just painting a bigger picture here, so you can know your options and decide what stays and what goes. I feel like Marie Kondo right now, telling people what to get rid of. This doesn't spark joy. Think about the 16-year-old kid that's the future President of the United States. They'll have their entire life documented online. So, teenagers and parents alike, listen up. Be careful with what you post and do online, because, like I said before, it will come back and haunt you. Just look at our congressmen. They didn't grow up in a digital era, and we still know of the terrible (bleep) they did. We all have different needs when it comes to access to the digital world, so no solution is a one size fits all. For example, will deleting Gmail impact your work, or will deleting Instagram make you feel more distant from your family? You'll have to carve out some time to assess your own situation and act accordingly. But if I've had even one ounce of influence on you today, then there's a chance this is the last video you'll ever watch online, so have a nice life! Hey y'all, thank you so much for watching Contechtual. If you enjoyed watching this as much as we did making it, then please make sure to like and subscribe. And tune in next Thursday to watch a new episode. Also, we would love to hear from you. So if you have any topic ideas or just want to chat, make sure to comment in the section below or message us. See you next time.