The Lighter Life series
It started with social media.
Not the usual “maybe I’ll take a break” thing — I was done.
I didn’t want to manage my time better or tweak my feed. I just didn’t want to be there anymore. So I deleted everything.
But once I pulled that thread, it didn’t stop.
I started thinking about everything else I’d signed up for.
All the services. All the accounts. All the access I’d casually allowed over the years.
And once I saw it, I couldn’t unsee it.
🧠 The First Wake-Up Call: My Password Manager
Instead of scrolling through old emails, I opened my password manager.
That’s where the real story was.
Hundreds of saved logins.
Accounts I hadn’t touched in years — and in many cases, barely remembered creating.
Some were tied to personal info. Some still had access to tools or cloud files. A few even had reused passwords from earlier years (yes, I cringed too).
That’s when it clicked: this wasn’t just digital clutter. It was risk.
So I started cleaning.
🧹 What I Cleaned Up
1. Old Accounts
I deleted over 45 logins. Some were random tools I tried once and never touched again. Others were newsletters, beta apps, or free trials I never meant to keep.
I didn’t batch-delete. I went account by account, checking what data was stored, what email it was tied to, and whether it still served a purpose. It was tedious but weirdly satisfying.
2. Third-Party App Access
I checked Google — and found services I hadn’t touched in five or more years still had access to my data.
I revoked what I didn’t recognize or actively use. I also cleared out stale permissions from tools I had long ago abandoned.
3. Location & Voice History
Even though I don’t use voice assistants, I found traces of stored queries and persistent location tracking on my iPhone. It wasn’t anything dramatic — but it was more than I expected.
I deleted what I could, adjusted app permissions, and cleaned up system-level tracking settings I hadn’t thought about in a while.
4. People Search & Data Brokers
I looked myself up online and found old addresses, emails, and personal details listed across people search engines and data broker sites.
I used Incogni to help remove that info. It wasn’t instant, but it gave me visibility I wouldn’t have had on my own.
😬 What Surprised Me Most
It wasn’t how much data was out there.
It was how normal it all seemed.
I never meant to keep most of it. I didn’t knowingly opt in to constant access. But over time, I’d built a quiet network of forgotten logins, connected apps, and passive tracking.
It felt like carrying a backpack I didn’t realize was full.
🔍 Want to Try It Yourself?
You don’t have to turn it into a big project. But if you want to start, here’s what helped me:
- Check your password manager
→ Look at what you haven’t used in years - Review third-party app connections
→ Start with your Google, Apple, Dropbox, or calendar tools - Review permissions on your phone
→ Especially mic, camera, location, and Bluetooth - Google your name and email
→ Check what’s showing up on people search or broker sites
You don’t need to fix everything.
But you do deserve to know what’s there.
🔐 Resources & Real-World Actions
🧰 Tools I Used
- Password Manager
→ Helps you identify accounts, strengthen logins, and spot reused credentials - Incogni
→ Paid service that removes your info from data broker sites - Have I Been Pwned
→ See if your email or usernames were exposed in a breach
Looking for secure, privacy-conscious tools to help with password management, app audits, or email safety?
I’ve curated a full list of EU-based and ethically hosted options here:
→ Explore privacy-first tools on ALT+SHIFT+EU
Everything listed there reflects what I personally use or recommend — no ads, no tracking, no Big Tech.
🛠 Extra Things That Help
- Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for key logins
- Set up a burner email for throwaway signups
- Check the privacy settings on your smart devices (voice, camera, and location are often more open than we realize)
📚 Worth Reading
- Data Detox Kit by Tactical Tech
→ Friendly, non-technical mini guides to cleaning up your digital life
→ Covers phones, browsers, social media, and even mental habits around tech use - Security in-a-Box by Tactical Tech + Front Line Defenders
→ Practical how-tos for securing your devices and data
→ Includes guides for Mac, Windows, mobile, cloud storage, and messaging tools
🌿 Why I’ll Keep Doing It
This wasn’t about perfection. Or paranoia.
It was about noticing what I’d agreed to without meaning to — and making choices again.
I’ll probably do this once a year from now on. Just a quiet check-in with myself and my tech.
Because the digital world moves fast.
But I don’t have to follow everything it does.
