It is obvious that people generally do not know how much digital trash they produce on a daily basis. Most probably, you still have the old accounts from 2012. The old accounts are similar to the old junk drawers. The only difference is that they store your personal data instead of rubber bands. When you no longer use the services, your accounts are ready for hacking.
You should clean your digital footprint as soon as possible, as otherwise somebody might hack your accounts. Imagine being the victim of identity theft or data breach. It is crucial to take care of your digital information, as if you forget to brush your teeth, but with your smartphone.
Some people might consider it to be too much trouble to spend a whole day on deletion of their accounts. Nobody would pay for special software which could handle it automatically. Fortunately for you, the process is not expensive at all and can be completed in no time at all. There is a wonderful tool called JustDeleteMe that can help.
This website works in the way similar to huge directory of account deletion pages. No more looking for the help pages on the website of the company you want to leave. This tool will provide you with the direct link to the page you need. You can use it to delete your accounts in thousands of websites, starting from such famous as Facebook and ending with the forgotten forums.
The interface of this site is extremely simple, which is great news for everyone who dislikes using complicated technologies. All you need is just to visit the website and search for the needed services. You can also use the search bar to make the search faster. You will receive information on how difficult the deletion process will be.
It will be marked with colors. Green is for easy procedure, red for difficult (such as cancellation of the gym membership). Yellow and black require you to perform some additional actions like waiting or filling in several forms. This way, you will not be interrupted in the middle of the process.
Unfortunately, you cannot press the button and delete everything automatically. However, you will still need to log into your accounts yourself. This tool will help you to find the page where the procedure is performed, but you should do everything else yourself.
The first thing you need to do is to make the list of all the services you used in the past. Think about your old video games sites, apps you used to buy things and other platforms where you created your accounts once. Maybe you have a Vine account? Maybe you had an account on the music website you used as a teenager? JustDeleteMe has all these sites listed there.
When you found the site on the list, click the link and you will be directed to the page of settings or deletion request. For this, you will need your old password. In case you cannot remember it, use the "Forgot password" option and reset it by email.
As for the process of deletion itself, it might take some time. Many companies force you to wait for a few days or weeks in order to persuade you not to delete your account. Do not give up and just wait.
It is a good idea to check your browser for the saved passwords. Both Chrome and Safari save information about each site you logged in. You will be surprised how many accounts you have on different sites without even realizing.
You should visit the password manager settings and scroll down the list. In case you notice some unknown website, look it up. In case you do not use this service anymore, visit JustDeleteMe website again and delete this account. It might be a boring activity, but at least you will have peace of mind in the end.
Why is it so important for high school students? You are going to enter the world of college application and job interviews. In both cases, your admissions officer or employer will probably want to check your online presence. You definitely do not want some awkward post from some middle school forum to appear at the moment of truth.
Another reason to take care of your old accounts is data breaches. The companies can get hacked, and the personal data of its customers becomes public information. In case you have any old account with some simple password, it will be easy for the hackers to break into it.
Deleting old accounts is reducing your attack surface. It means that you minimize the amount of ways your personal data can be leaked. It would be like locking all windows and doors of your apartment although you never use them. The security always starts with sealing all the gaps.
Do not forget about the apps you installed on your smartphone. Go to your phone and check whether you have any apps you have not opened for six months. In case you do not use them, delete them. Many apps operate in the background and collect your data without your knowledge.
JustDeleteMe can help you with this problem as well. The procedure is the same as in case of websites – find the app in the list, click the link and request for deletion. It will take several minutes for each app, but you will feel much lighter after that.
Sometimes you will encounter the website that is not listed on JustDeleteMe. In this case, you will need to find the information about your rights on your own. Search for the "Privacy" or "Support" sections in the bottom of the website. Almost all legitimate companies are obliged by the law to provide you with an opportunity to delete your data.
In case you cannot find anything, contact the support team of the company and send them an email. Be polite but make sure that you want to delete your account with all the data connected with it. They are obliged to reply in one week, but sometimes they take more time.
Do not forget to keep the information about who you contacted and when. In case they do not reply in a month, write the second email. Sometimes you will need to be persistent while talking to some customer service department.
Remember, this is your data and you have the right to control your online presence. Do not allow companies to pressure you to keep an account you do not need anymore. Become the master of your digital destiny.
At first, you will feel overwhelmed seeing how much of yourself is scattered over the Web. However, each deleted account is a small victory. You will have one less thing to worry about. Also, your phone will start working better as there will be less apps working in the background.
Imagine it as spring cleaning for your soul. You are freeing yourself from unnecessary things in the form of accounts. It feels nice to release yourself from the past. You do not need these old memories anymore.
So, prepare some snacks and music, and start. Visit JustDeleteMe website in one tab and password manager in the other. Click and delete. You will be done sooner than you think.
Your future self will thank you for this. You will become safer and much cleaner, and you will be prepared to anything. Plus, you will have a perfect excuse to ignore your homework for some time. So it is a win-win situation for you.
Start today. You do not want to be that person who got hacked because of some old MySpace page. Be smart and proactive, and clean yourself up. Your data is worth the trouble.
Good luck, and happy deleting. May your internet presence always be in your favor. Go and conquer this digital mountain. You can do it.
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