We've all got a load of sensitive info on our phones — texts with loved ones, banking details, passwords and family photos. 

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You don't want anyone snooping around, whether it's an app maker on the other side of the world or the guy sitting behind you at the coffee shop. Take five minutes to run this privacy audit, and then pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

Check your permissions

When you download apps, they often request a variety of permissions to access different parts of your phone — think your location, camera, microphone, contacts and text messages. Some are essential for the app to function properly (like a navigation app needing access to your location) but others are absolutely unnecessary. 

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The most critical permissions to pay attention to are your phone's location, camera and microphone. Only trust apps that have a clear, legitimate need for these permissions.

Use your common sense, too. Ask yourself: Does a shopping app really need access to my contacts? Should a photo editing app know my current location? For me, the answer is no. Granting unnecessary permissions increases your privacy exposure, so it’s better to err on the side of caution.

To check what permissions each app have:

You’ve probably granted permissions to apps on your computer, too, that you forgot about. Here’s how to check those while you’re at it.

DO THIS WITH YOUR FAMILY VIDEOS BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE

Lock down everything

Your lock screen is the first line of defense against unwanted eyes. You can use a PIN, pattern, fingerprint, facial recognition, whatever. No matter which method you choose, it's far better than leaving your phone unsecured. 

If you’re using a PIN, stay away from anything obvious like 1234, your birthday or address, or the last digits of your phone number.

You’ll also want your phone to lock as soon as possible when you're not using it. I find around 30 seconds is the sweet spot between safety and annoyance.

Keep out strangers

The short-range transfer tech built into iOS and Android is super handy when you need to share something with a friend or relative. But you don't want strangers pinging you with unwanted photos, videos and other files.

ELECTION FRAUD ALERT: STEPS TO SAFEGUARD YOUR VOTE

This happened to me once at the airport. In my case, it was just teenagers pranking me with silly pictures, but this can end a lot worse. 

Browse the web 

Open your phone’s browser and say hello to instant tracking, unless you do something about it.

That wasn’t so bad, right? Now, do your loved ones a solid and pass it along so they can stay safe, too. Yes, that includes teenagers!

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