{"id":27029,"date":"2025-01-15T09:57:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-15T01:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/?post_type=oasis-news&p=27029"},"modified":"2025-01-13T13:02:23","modified_gmt":"2025-01-13T05:02:23","slug":"how-to-clean-up-your-online-presence-and-digital-spaces","status":"publish","type":"oasis-news","link":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/oasis-news\/how-to-clean-up-your-online-presence-and-digital-spaces\/","title":{"rendered":"How to clean up your online presence and digital spaces"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Reading time: 3 minutes<\/em><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s be real: We\u2019re all guilty of letting our digital lives get a little chaotic. Between signing up for apps you used once, forgetting old accounts and that ever-growing pile of unorganised files, your online presence might be overdue for a clean-up. Taking some time to do a digital detox isn\u2019t just good for your mental clarity\u2014it\u2019s also a smart move for your online safety. Here\u2019s how you can get started, step by step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Audit your accounts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start by listing all the accounts you\u2019ve created over the years. This might feel like an overwhelming task, but think about all the social media platforms, shopping sites, subscription services and forums you\u2019ve joined. Search your email inbox for keywords like \u201cwelcome,\u201d \u201cverify your account,\u201d or \u201creceipt\u201d to jog your memory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve identified these accounts, decide which ones you no longer use. For those, log in and delete them. If you can\u2019t remember the login details, consider using password recovery options to regain access before deleting them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tidy up your permissions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever installed an app that asked for permissions to access your contacts, camera or location? These permissions often linger, even after you stop using the app. On your smartphone, go into the settings and review app permissions. Revoke access for apps you don\u2019t use or for permissions that seem unnecessary. For example, does that photo editing app really need access to your microphone?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On social media, check which third-party apps and websites are connected to your accounts. Remove access for anything that no longer serves you or seems suspicious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secure and organise your files<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital clutter doesn\u2019t just happen in your accounts\u2014it\u2019s also hiding in your devices. Start with your desktop or phone. Delete files, screenshots and photos you no longer need. Once that\u2019s done, organise what\u2019s left into folders with clear labels. Bonus points if you back everything up to a secure cloud service or an external hard drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While you\u2019re at it, review where your important documents are stored. Are they safe? Password-protect sensitive files and consider using encryption tools for an extra layer of security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strengthen your security<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that your digital space is decluttered, it\u2019s time to make it more secure. Start by updating your passwords. Use a password manager to create unique, strong passwords for each account. Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever possible. This adds an extra step to logging in, like entering a code sent to your phone, making it much harder for hackers to get in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why it\u2019s worth it<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decluttering your digital life comes with immediate benefits. You\u2019ll feel less overwhelmed when everything is organised, and your devices might even run faster. More importantly, you\u2019re protecting yourself from potential threats like identity theft or data breaches. Think of it as spring cleaning for your online world\u2014a fresh start for your mind and your security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what are you waiting for? Grab a coffee, put on some good music and start your digital detox before semester 1 kicks off. Your future self will thank you!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Taking some time to do a digital detox isn\u2019t just good for your mental clarity\u2014it\u2019s also a smart move for your online safety. Here\u2019s how you can get started. | Reading time: 3 mins<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4418,"featured_media":27030,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"","_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"6964,5520,5103,4976,5242,6243","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","wds_primary_oasis-categories":0,"footnotes":""},"oasis-categories":[141,146],"class_list":["post-27029","oasis-news","type-oasis-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","oasis-categories-online","oasis-categories-student-life"],"acf":{"post_options":{"":null,"banner":{"image":false}}},"featured_image":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Curtin-Online-Students-34-1000x500.jpg","author_meta":{"first_name":"Rachelle","last_name":"Erzay","display_name":"Rachelle Erzay"},"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-11 20:29:54","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"oasis-categories","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oasis-news\/27029","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oasis-news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/oasis-news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4418"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oasis-news\/27029\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27030"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27029"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"oasis-categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oasis-categories?post=27029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}