Digital Spring Cleaning

April showers bring May flowers.  The entire saying goes something like this: “March winds and April showers bring May flowers and June bugs.”  But April isn’t a rainy month across the United States. And flowers begin blooming a lot sooner than May in parts of the South. So where did this saying come from and why is it so prevalent?  It turns out, the saying originates in the United Kingdom where it can be pretty soggy in the spring. (Ok, now you have learned something new today). 

I also need to put away my winter jeans...well, on second thought, I only own winter jeans (that's a discussion for another day).  Back to April, which also brings on thoughts of spring cleaning.  “Aaaargh” we say.  Ketchum Global Research & Analytics recently conducted a survey to find out, among other things what we hate to clean in our home:  Bathroom (34%), Windows (34%), Bedroom, Kitchen or common areas (28%), Garage (26%).  I hate cleaning bathrooms.  Your list?

Now what about our digital life?  Do you think about digital spring cleaning?  A majority of Americans (64%) have personally experienced a major data breach, and relatively large shares of the public lack trust in key institutions – especially the federal government and social media sites – to protect their personal information (Pew Research).  Here are some interesting facts we should all know:

Americans age 50 and older are especially likely to feel that their personal information has become less safe in recent years: 58% of Americans in this age group express this opinion, compared with 41% of those ages 18 to 49. (Pew Research)

Based on the data, I think we all should take time for “spring cleaning” in our own digital world (work or home) – plus who wants to clean the bathroom anyway?  6 things I like to focus on:

1. Protect my devices … the internet of “things” (thermostats, phones, lights, locks, cameras, etc.)
2. Update my passwords … the days of “dave123” are over (actually never used that one but…)
3. De-clutter my apps and programs … how many apps are on your phone that have not been used in the past year?
4. Purge and back up my files … those really important files and documents – are they saved in more than one place?
5. Review and tighten up my social media security and privacy … do you know what Google and Facebook does with your data?
6. Manage my photos … yes those 73,347 photos.

Our devices – Smartphones (flip phones), tablets (Kindles), laptops (desktops), and all our connected home devices (thermostats, lights, alarms, locks, cameras, baby monitors) make our lives so much easier. Make sure your devices require a password, pin, or fingerprint to log-in. If you have a bunch of home connected devices think about creating a VPN (virtual private network) just for your home. 

Our passwords – the necessary evil of the world we live in today.  I tallied my passwords this morning and I have 123 distinct passwords, but I also use a password manager to help make things easier.  Not endorsing any of these, but some of the top rated passwords are: dashlane, sticky password, roboform, last pass, zoho, Kaspersky, manage engine, password boss, true key, and 1Password.  Think about changing your network “guest” password as well.  Always use something not familiar to you for passwords and have an array of caps, symbols, numbers and letters.  Think “D@ve!98SB!G” versus “Dave1967”.

Our apps – we need how many?  Smartphone users are spending more time in apps than in years past, and now access over 45 apps on a monthly basis, according to a report I heard on the news this morning. These 45 apps work out to being roughly one-third to one-half of the apps users have installed on their smartphones (so that is 90-125 apps people). Full disclosure, I have 232 apps on my personal phone.  And using those apps is a daily habit, as people now launch an average of at least 13 apps per day, the report found.  You should uninstall apps you rarely use especially if they are always sending your location (like navigation apps) or always running in the background of your phone (like browsers or social networking apps). App Manager will show you all of your apps and allow you to quickly remove any unwanted ones in one screen, with one click.  Also, check and understand what each of your apps share and also the privacy settings.

Our files – yes those files on our computers.  I always use long plane rides as an opportunity to clean up my files.  Are they in some logical order?  Can you find things easily?  How often do you review and delete files that are no longer needed?  Check for old files that can be archived or deleted. These days, everyone has millions of digital files stored across multiple devices. Music files, photos, work or school documents, financial files, you name it – we have tons of stuff to sort through. Searching relies on both descriptive file names and useful keywords within the file. You need a system to organize files as you create and store them.  Don’t save every file, and delete old files ruthlessly — if you don’t save it, you don’t need to organize it. Delete duplicates, get rid of files you never use, and don’t download every email attachment or blurry photo (yes, we all save those blurry photos and none of us know why).   

Name your files in a detailed manner — like maybe your current resume. All you can find on your laptop are files named “resume.doc,” “resume1.docx,” and “resume2.docx.” Instead of wasting time opening each file to figure out which one is the most recent and relevant, name them distinctively. Use dates and keywords in the file names to sort documents, such as “resume-2014-01-05.docx” or “resume-2014-compsci.doc.” This will make file searching more efficient too.  Use folders - create folders for each of your major file types or by the project you work on most frequently, whatever makes sense for your data.  Place new files in the right place immediately - use the system you set up with every file, all the time! Make sure to put your new music, photos, and documents in the appropriate folders as soon as you click “Save” or “Download.” Get into this habit, so you’ll stay organized.  PS:  Your resume should always be current. 

Our social media – the bane of our existence.  Use a strong password.  The longer and more varied it is, the more secure it will be. Use a different password for each of your social media accounts. Set up your security answers.  These two-factor authentication is available for most social media sites.  For your social media apps on your phone, be sure to password protect your device.  ALWAYS be selective with friend requests (I know this is hard for many of us, but it really is the smart way to manage your social media). If you don’t know the person, don’t accept their request.  It could be a fake account (there seems to be a lot of fake things today…).  Click links with caution.  Social media accounts are regularly hacked.  Be careful about what you share. Don’t reveal personal information like your home address, financial information, or phone number.  The more you post the easier it is to have your identity stolen – remember that Millennials.  Become familiar with the privacy policies of the social media channels you use and customize your privacy settings to control who sees what.  Protect your computer by installing antivirus software.  Also ensure that your browser, operating system, and software are kept up to date.  Remember to log off when you’re done.

Photos – some tips to help manage the ever growing library of photos (and selfies) you have.  I am still looking for that “slimming” photo app by the way.  Check the date and time to ensure it is current on your phone. Turn on GPS to help manage and find photos.  Rate and trash unwanted photos when you finish the event.   Naming and tagging folders and photos are the keys to finding a single photo you are seeking.  Use some of these tips to make it easy to find your photos.  Also note, when posting photos, turning off the GPS feature helps limit where you were and when.

-        Name the folders and save them to a special place on your computer’s hard drive.

-        Add keywords and tags (or titles and descriptions) that describe what’s in the photo.

-        Use the face recognition feature in photo software.

-        Assign a location via GPS or manually in a photo library.

-        Create a collection or album of your favorite photos from each event.

And a few simple yet key reminders, don’t forget to empty your recycling/trash bin. Make sure your device’s security software is working properly and all software is patched and set to auto-update.

Hey the world is full of great people, but also a lot of hackers and cyber criminals.  Much like not leaving a pile of cash laying around on a public table, take some steps to make your digital world safer.
  
Together.  We.  Win.

Dave Harmon
People Division
“Kindness is Currency”
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davidharmonhr

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