Get started freeYour Digital Footprint Is Worth $240/Year to Data Brokers
In 2026, the average person's data is sold $240/year to advertisers, data brokers, and third parties (Ghostery). Every website visit, purchase, and social media post feeds this machine. You can't opt out entirely — but these 10 steps reduce your exposure by 80-90%.
10 Steps to Protect Your Privacy
| # | Step | Time | Impact | Tool |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Use a password manager | 30 min setup | Critical | Bitwarden (free), 1Password ($3/mo) |
| 2 | Enable 2FA everywhere | 10 min/account | Critical | Google Authenticator, Authy |
| 3 | Use a VPN on public WiFi | 5 min setup | High | Mullvad ($5/mo), ProtonVPN (free tier) |
| 4 | Switch to encrypted messaging | 5 min | High | Signal (free, open-source) |
| 5 | Use a privacy-focused browser | 5 min | Medium | Firefox + uBlock Origin, Brave |
| 6 | Check data breaches | 2 min | Medium | haveibeenpwned.com |
| 7 | Limit social media permissions | 15 min | Medium | Settings → Privacy on each platform |
| 8 | Use email aliases | 10 min | Medium | SimpleLogin, Apple Hide My Email |
| 9 | Review app permissions | 10 min | Medium | Phone Settings → App Permissions |
| 10 | Opt out of data brokers | 1-2 hours | High | DeleteMe ($129/yr) or manual requests |
Start with steps 1-3 — they take 45 minutes total and block 80% of common attacks. A password manager alone prevents 90% of account breaches.
