How to Protect Your Privacy Online

While your phone and apps make it easy for people to contact you, there may be times when you want to limit who can reach you. You can:

• Block unwanted contact (Android, iOS):

  • Stop specific numbers from calling or texting you.

• Manage messaging privacy settings

  • Adjust privacy settings so unknown contacts cannot add you to group chats or start conversations

Managing what others see on your social media helps you stay in control of your digital footprint and protect your privacy. You can:

• Adjust your privacy settings:

  • Choose who can see your posts and profile information

  • If you are unsure, choose the highest privacy setting

• Manage tags and mentions:

  • Choose who can tag or mention you in posts

  • Review tags before they appear on your profile

Find out how to adjust the privacy settings on social media, gaming platforms and instant messaging apps here.

Your devices store a lot of personal data, such as messages and photos. To keep your devices and accounts safe, you can:

• Use a strong screen lock (Android, iOS, macOS, Windows):

  • Set up a passcode, PIN or pattern lock to prevent others from easily accessing your device

  • Use biometric authentication methods such as fingerprint or facial recognition for added security

  • Watch a video on how you can secure and lock your smart device here

• Set strong passwords and turn on two-step verification for accounts:

  • Choose long, unique passwords for each account that are long and made up of random words​​, with added numbers, symbols, and mixed cases (e.g. DinoDancingOnMoon2025!)

  • Activate two-step verification (such as one-time passwords or biometrics) for extra security where possible

• Activate protection in case your device is stolen (Android, iOS, macOS, Windows):

  • Turn on tracking and remote-wipe features so your personal data stays secure even if your device is lost or stolen

Apps and websites may ask to access information on your devices. To manage what data they can collect, you can:

• Control app access (Android, iOS, macOS, Windows):

  • Choose which apps can access sensitive data like your camera, microphone, photos and location

  • Review app permissions individually and turn off unnecessary sharing

• Monitor app data access using App Privacy Report (iOS) or Privacy Dashboard (Android):

  • Review which apps are using your camera, microphone or location, and when this happens

• Manage how ads are delivered to you (Android, iOS, macOS, Windows):

  • Control how your information is used to serve targeted ads

• Conduct a "Safety Check" for devices with iOS 16 and later:

  • Use this feature to review, update and stop sharing your information with specific people and apps

  • Use the Emergency Reset to immediately stop sharing all information

Learn more about Android Privacy and Apple Privacy.

How you connect to the internet can impact your privacy and security. To stay safe online, you can:

• Avoid open or public Wi-Fi:

  • Open or public Wi-Fi can be easily intercepted and people on the same network may be able to monitor what you are doing

  • Avoid logging into personal accounts or sharing sensitive information if you must use public Wi-Fi

• Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN):

  • A VPN hides your Internet Protocol (IP) address and encrypts your data, keeping your online activity private and adds security, especially when using public Wi-Fi

• Turn off automatic connections and forget old networks:

  • Ensure your device does not automatically connect to unknown networks

  • Remove any saved networks you no longer use to avoid connecting to them by accident

• Keep your home router secure:

  • Change your Wi-Fi password from the default

  • Enable WPA2 or WPA3 encryption to protect your network

• Avoid responding to them as it may encourage them to keep contacting you

• Block the person on all social media platforms to prevent further messages or requests

• Adjust your privacy settings to limit who can see your profile or contact you across all platforms

If the situation escalates to online harassment or stalking, you may:

• Take screenshots of the messages and friend requests as evidence

• Report the account to the platform using its reporting tools

• Report to the OSC if the platform does not act on your report

Take immediate steps

• Log out of the account on all devices

• Change your passwords or passphrases immediately

• Review and strengthen your privacy and security settings

If your account has been breached

• Monitor the account for suspicious activity

• Take screenshots of unusual logins or messages as evidence

• Report the incident to the platform and lodge a police report if your identity has been stolen

• Inform your contacts so they are aware and can avoid being misled

• If unauthorised transactions occurred, contact your bank or service provider immediately