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Here are some incredibly simple ways to keep your information private

Published Dec 19th, 2013 5:30PM EST

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In an age when we keep all of our personal information on vulnerable machines, it’s more important than ever to take every possible precaution to keep your data secure. As if the endless news surrounding the NSA wasn’t bad enough, hackers continue to put millions at risk by stealing credit card data or gaining access to our webcams without our knowledge. So how do you stay safe? How do you protect yourself from the countless risks of a connected society?

There’s no way to plug every leak, but Forbes contributor Kashmir Hill has put together two lists filled with suggestions that could keep your photos, videos and documents private and your accounts inaccessible to others. Some highlights from the lists include:

  • Put a password on all of your devices.
  • Sign out of social media and email accounts when you finish using them.
  • Turn on multi-step authentication for services that offer the added protection.
  • Clear your browser history.
  • Put a sticker over your webcam when it’s not in use.

As denizens of the Internet, many of these practices might be second nature for us, but it never hurts to double check our habits. Check out Hill’s most recent article for even more ways to maintain your privacy.

Jacob Siegal
Jacob Siegal Associate Editor

Jacob Siegal is Associate Editor at BGR, having joined the news team in 2013. He has over a decade of professional writing and editing experience, and helps to lead our technology and entertainment product launch and movie release coverage.