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If thinking about protecting your privacy online makes you feel anxious, overwhelmed, or resigned, you aren't alone. 

Nearly 70 percent of Americans felt overwhelmed solely by the number of passwords they have to track, according to a 2023 . Just over 60 percent aren't sure that any steps they take when managing their privacy online make a difference, the same survey found.

That's why, this January, published one practical privacy tip a day that Markup staffers or readers actually use in their own lives. 

We called it "" because the tips are a mix of calming (did you know you can stop tracking all those passwords ?), whimsical (yes yes, we do teach you to fake ), or downright practical (turns out, you should those software updates).

Here's a condensed version of all 20 tips in one place. Click on any individual tip to learn more. 

1. on your phone and computer screens to protect your activity from wandering eyes.  
2. that blocks not only ads, but cookies, trackers, and more.
3. as soon as they're available to stay secure and avoid being hacked.
4. across all of your accounts, ideally using authenticator apps or security keys.
5. on social media—at least, until after you've left it.
6. to ensure you have a secure, unique password for each of your accounts.
7. hardware, especially if yours is from before 2020. Your connection will be more secure thanks to new privacy standards.
8. in case you need an extra level of privacy when working, signing up for shopper rewards programs, or even using dating apps.
9. to stop your account from being shown to people you may not want seeing it.
10. for an alternative. Even switching to Apple Maps can reduce how much of your data is sent to advertisers.
11. to reduce the amount of cookies you're tracked by and keep your accounts secure. Especially if you're using a public computer. 
12. , if you're an iPhone user, to decrease the chance of your data being taken if your phone gets lost or stolen.
13. if you're a parent. That's it. That's the tip.
14. by using services like DeleteMe, that remove your data from data brokers' hands.
15. , like using cash and shredding your mail before you throw it away.
16. the next time you want to open a potentially sketchy document or software.
17. , rather than using FaceID or other face recognition technology, to unlock your phone.
18. To retailers in particular. They don't need to know.
19. to keep hackers from finding and using your real info. This can also stop some pretty personal data from getting exposed in a potential breach.
20. by switching to a more private email provider.  

Actions like these—however small they may feel—do make a difference. Just think about how one organization can potentially protect the data of all of its visitors. By implementing just a few of these privacy tips, your accounts could be safer, and less of your data could end up with advertisers. 

While Gentle January has come to an end for now, our newsroom regularly investigates how technology—from to software implemented by —may be putting sensitive data about you at risk. These investigations often come paired with to better protect your privacy both and . 

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