28 January 2025

With this week being Data Privacy Week in the Netherlands and 28 January European Data Privacy Day, here are three tips to boost your privacy.

Tip 1: Avoid using free tools

‘If the tool is free, you are the product.’ Free tools often collect personal data without obtaining consent or having proper security measures in place. They earn money by selling this data to other companies, which may misuse your data. Added to this, these tools tend to have poor security, making your data vulnerable to hacking and data breaches.

So make sure to choose trusted and paid tools that provide strong security and take proper care of your data. What tools can you use? Check out Leiden University’s tool picker.

Tip 2: Cookies? Just say no

Cookies are small files that websites store on your device during your visit. They remember information such as your preferences, your site activity and whether you are logged in. Businesses can also track you with these cookies.

So don’t just click ‘accept’ when visiting websites. Go to the settings in the cookie notification and only accept those that are strictly necessary.

Tip 3: Protect your privacy on social media

Stay vigilant on social media. Information you share can be used to make a detailed profile of you, including who you are, your interests and your social circle. This information can be exploited by malicious actors.

So think before you post and always check the privacy settings on the platform you are using. Make your profile visible only to friends, for example, and switch off your location settings for all your apps.