21 Essential Social Privacy Tips

Not to sound antisocial about it, but going online to connect with friends or family feels like being the unwitting invitee to a birthday party at a nudist camp. To be “social” requires virtually dropping trou at the door, so before you know it, you’re dishing out your name, address, and birth date, along with GPS coordinates, honeymoon photos, political views, shopping habits, favorite movies, and anything else you care to Like, Share or even just click on. And that’s not just to friends and followers, but also marketers, data scrapers, and every business you interact with, who quietly track and make connections between your every online move (remember, these services aren't actually free — you pay with your personal data).

It isn’t easy, but there is a middle path you can follow, one that allows you to feel connected with an online community while still keeping inconvenient or even critical personal data away from prying eyes and algorithms. Most important, you don’t lose out on the social part of the network. Here’s our quick but deep guide to locking down the settings of the most used services.

Laptopmag.com Contributor
Read more
DeepSeek whale logo in the style of the TikTok logo.
The DeepSeek mania proves it's finally — finally! — time to talk about AI privacy
A VPN screen on an open laptop
Best VPN services in 2025: 5 VPNs I recommend, including a free option
3D render of a person wearing a Meta Quest 3 VR/Mixed Reality headset tripping over an extension cable in a cluttered living room.
12 rules for life every Meta Quest owner should know
Three laptops connected to four servers
Is your data safe? Why cloud storage isn't enough anymore.
Black and white photo of a man with mustache wearing AR smart glasses and a hoodie.
Smart glasses make me look like the Unabomber, but that's a you problem in 2025
chatgpt search feature
There are now 3 great reasons to switch from Google Search to ChatGPT Search
Latest in Antivirus & Cyber-security
TP-Link routers targeted by Chinese state-sponsored cyber attacks
TP-Link routers may face nationwide ban after 'significantly alarming' link to US cyberattacks
What is a VPN kill switch — and why you should use one
You need a VPN for school, here are 3 services we recommend
The AMD Ryzen and NVIDIA RTX stickers on the Acer Nitro 17
'You basically have to throw your computer away': Researchers explain AMD 'Sinkclose' vulnerability, but do you need to worry?
Google Search
This malware is posing as Google Authenticator using Google ads — here's how to protect yourself
Windows 10 BSOD saying "It's not you, it's me."
Microsoft reveals CrowdStrike outage could have a surprising long-term impact on everyday users
MANILA, PHILIPPINES - JULY 19: Long queues of passengers form at the check-in counters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, amid a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem, on July 19, 2024 in Manila, Philippines. A significant global outage affecting Microsoft services, particularly Microsoft 365, has caused widespread disruptions across various sectors, including airlines, banks, and health systems. The outage was attributed to a glitch in CrowdStrike's "Falcon Sensor" software, which impacted Windows systems, leading to thousands of flight cancellations and operational chaos in multiple industries. Microsoft has reported that the underlying cause of the outage has been fixed, but residual effects continue to impact some users as the company works on full recovery. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)
The CrowdStrike outage spotlights major vulnerabilities in the global information ecosystem
Latest in News
A close-up of a light-colored computer keyboard shows the keys T, Y, G, and H replaced by the logos of OpenAI, DeepSeek, Grok, and Gemini, the leading competitors in the artificial intelligence market. This serves as a visual metaphor for the intense rivalry and innovation in the AI industry. (Photo by Matteo Della Torre/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Is generative AI inadvertently reducing the voices of many to the banality of one?
WWDC 2025 could mark the beginning of the end for certain iPhone users
Error when installing Google Chrome on the Asus Vivobook 16 Flip, on a white desk against a blue background.
"This app can't run on your PC": Google's Chrome Installer broke on Windows, but there's a fix
Nintendo Switch 2 handheld gaming console
Nintendo Switch 2 preorder date: It might be a lot closer than you think, say tipsters
Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition, 2024)
Windows-on-Arm woes: Amazon warns customers about Surface laptop returns
Apple Watch Series 8
Siri is the biggest obstacle to making the Apple Watch an AI hit