Privacy Settings Step-by-Step Guides - Lesson 9

Important Notes

Settings Change: Tech companies frequently update their apps and websites, so menu locations may vary slightly from these instructions. Look for settings icons (gear symbol) or account menus (profile picture).
Age Requirements: Many platforms require users to be 13+ years old. Always be honest about your age and follow platform rules.
Parent Permission: If you're under 13 or your parents monitor your accounts, discuss these changes with them before making adjustments.
Regular Reviews: Privacy settings should be reviewed every few months as your usage changes and new features are added.

Instagram Privacy Settings

Age Requirement: 13+

Make Your Account Private

Open Instagram and tap your profile picture in the bottom right
Tap the three horizontal lines (menu) in the top right corner
Select "Settings and privacy"
Tap "Account privacy"
Toggle on "Private account"

Recommended: ON

With a private account, only people you approve can see your posts, stories, and reels. You can review and approve each follower request.

Control Who Can Contact You

Go to Settings and privacy → Messages and story replies
Choose who can message you (Everyone, People you follow, or No one)
Go to Settings and privacy → Tags and mentions
Set "Allow tags from" to "People you follow" or "No one"
Set "Allow mentions from" to "People you follow" or "No one"

Recommended Settings

Messages: "People you follow" | Tags: "People you follow" | Mentions: "People you follow"

Manage Location Services

Before posting, tap "Add location" and consider NOT adding your exact location
If you do tag locations, use general areas (city/neighborhood) not specific addresses
Go to your phone's Settings → Instagram → Location
Set to "While Using the App" or "Never" instead of "Always"

Safety Tip

Never share your exact location (home, school, regular hangout spots). This information can reveal your routine and where to find you.

Control Activity Status

Go to Settings and privacy → Messages and story replies
Tap "Show activity status"
Toggle OFF to hide when you're online

Recommended: OFF

Prevents others from seeing when you're active on Instagram.

TikTok Privacy Settings

Age Requirement: 13+

Set Account to Private

Tap "Profile" at the bottom right
Tap the three horizontal lines (menu) in the top right
Select "Settings and privacy"
Tap "Privacy"
Toggle on "Private account"

Recommended: ON

Private accounts require approval for followers. Only approved followers can view your videos, send messages, or see your liked videos.

Control Comments and Interactions

Go to Settings and privacy → Privacy
Under "Interactions," tap "Comments"
Set to "Friends" or turn off entirely
Enable "Filter keywords" to block specific words from comments
Under "Interactions," tap "Duet and Stitch"
Set both to "Friends" or "Off"

Recommended Settings

Comments: "Friends" | Duet: "Friends" | Stitch: "Friends"

Manage Who Can Find You

Go to Settings and privacy → Privacy
Tap "Suggest your account to others"
Turn OFF all suggestion options
Go back and tap "Find contacts"
Don't sync contacts unless you want TikTok to access your phone's contact list

Recommended: OFF

Prevents TikTok from suggesting your account to others and accessing your contacts.

Limit Data for Ads

Go to Settings and privacy → Privacy
Scroll down to "Data" section
Tap "Ads" and then "Ad settings"
Toggle OFF "Personalized ads"
You'll still see ads, but they'll be less targeted to your interests

YouTube Privacy Settings

Age Requirement: 13+ (or use with parent)

Manage Watch and Search History

Click your profile picture in the top right
Select "Your data in YouTube"
Click "YouTube Watch History" and choose "Turn off"
Click "YouTube Search History" and choose "Turn off"
You can also delete existing history from this page

Consider This

Turning off watch history means you won't get personalized recommendations. This gives you more privacy but less customization. You decide what's more important to you.

Control Comments on Your Videos

If you upload videos, go to YouTube Studio
Click Settings (gear icon)
Select "Community"
Under "Defaults," set "Comment permissions" to "Hold potentially inappropriate comments for review"
You can also turn off comments entirely on specific videos

Limit Data Google Collects

Go to myactivity.google.com (YouTube is owned by Google)
Click "Activity controls" on the left
Review and adjust "Web & App Activity"
Consider turning off "Include Chrome history and activity from sites, apps, and devices that use Google services"
Review "YouTube History" settings as well

Discord Privacy Settings

Age Requirement: 13+

Privacy and Safety Settings

Click the gear icon (User Settings) next to your name
Select "Privacy & Safety" from the left menu
Under "Server Privacy Defaults," disable "Allow direct messages from server members"
This prevents strangers in servers from DMing you without a friend request
Enable "Keep me safe" under "Safe Direct Messaging"
This scans and deletes direct messages containing explicit content

Highly Recommended

These settings significantly reduce unwanted contact from strangers.

Control Friend Requests

In Privacy & Safety settings
Scroll to "Who can add you as a friend"
Disable "Everyone" if enabled
Keep "Friends of Friends" or disable that too for maximum privacy

Manage Data and Personalization

In User Settings, go to "Privacy & Safety"
Scroll to "How we use your data"
Disable "Use data to improve Discord"
Disable "Use data to customize my Discord experience"
In the "Voice & Video" settings, disable "Use an experimental method to capture audio"

Google Account Privacy Settings

Includes Gmail, Chrome, and other Google services

Location History and Tracking

Go to myaccount.google.com
Click "Data & privacy" in the left menu
Under "Location settings," click "Location History"
Turn OFF Location History
You can also delete existing location history from this page
Go back and click "Web & App Activity"
Consider turning off or limiting what's tracked

Ad Personalization

In Data & privacy settings
Scroll to "Ad settings"
Turn OFF "Ad Personalization"
Review and remove any interests Google has associated with you

Security Checkup

At myaccount.google.com, click "Security"
Review "Your devices" and sign out of devices you don't recognize
Enable "2-Step Verification" for added security
Review "Third-party apps with account access"
Remove any apps you don't use or don't recognize

Highly Recommended

2-Step Verification significantly increases account security. Even if someone gets your password, they can't access your account without the second verification step.

Smartphone Privacy Settings

iPhone and Android privacy controls

Location Services (iPhone)

Open Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services
Review each app individually
Change apps to "While Using the App" instead of "Always"
Turn off location for apps that don't need it (games, shopping, etc.)
Scroll down and turn OFF "Location-Based Suggestions"

Location Services (Android)

Open Settings → Location
Tap "App location permissions"
Review each app and change to "Allow only while using the app" or "Don't allow"
Go back and turn off "Google Location Accuracy" if you don't need precise location

App Permissions Review

iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → Review each category (Camera, Microphone, Photos, Contacts)
Android: Settings → Privacy → Permission manager
For each permission type, review which apps have access
Remove access for apps that don't need it
Question why a flashlight app needs your contacts or location!

Red Flags

Be suspicious if simple apps request extensive permissions. A calculator doesn't need your camera, a flashlight doesn't need your contacts.

Limit Ad Tracking

iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking → Turn OFF "Allow Apps to Request to Track"
Android: Settings → Google → Ads → Turn ON "Opt out of Ads Personalization"
This reduces (but doesn't eliminate) targeted advertising across apps

Final Privacy Tips

Regular Reviews: Set a reminder to review your privacy settings every 3 months
New Apps: Carefully review permissions before installing new apps
Updates Matter: Keep apps and operating systems updated for security patches
Strong Passwords: Use unique, strong passwords for each account (or a password manager)
Two-Factor Authentication: Enable 2FA wherever available for extra security
Think Before You Share: Remember, once something is online, it's very hard to completely remove

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Lesson 9: Your Data and AI: Privacy in the Digital Age
Note: Privacy settings and menus may change. Always look for Settings or Privacy options in each app.