As February ends most of us eagerly await the beginning of Spring. This time of renewal and warming days encourages us to begin spring cleaning. While this typically means deep cleaning your home and working in your yard, there are also many benefits to spring cleaning your digital life.

A systematic approach to decluttering and organizing your digital presence can enhance your efficiency, improve your privacy and security, reduce unwanted advertising, and ensure a better and safer online experience. Here are some things to consider for your digital spring cleaning.

Your Computer and Laptop

1. Make sure your operating system is up to date.
2. Make sure your computer’s security and anti-virus software is up to date and working properly.
3. Delete unused programs and clear out any downloads you aren’t using.
4. Archive or delete old files. Empty the trash bin.
5. Make sure you have installed VPN on your laptop and that it is working properly.
6. Backup all files and documents on an external hard drive or to a service in the cloud.
7. Physically clean the keyboard, mouse, and dust from the computer.

Your Wireless Router

1. Make sure that you have a unique password to login to the router.
2. Make sure that your router firmware is updated. (Turn on automatic updates.)
3. Check your firewall.
4. Create a unique SSID for your wireless network and hide it from public display.
5. Set up the router to use a current encryption standard such as WPA2.
6. Set up a separate Guest Network with a unique SSID and password on your wireless router.
7. Physically clean your router.

Your Emails and Email Accounts

1. Empty all trash, spam, and junk mail.
2. Review emails and unsubscribe from unwanted and unread email addresses.
3. File and archive emails in the inbox.
4. Create a rule to automatically empty your deleted items on a regular basis.
5. Consider creating a separate email account to use for all shopping and non-important websites.

Your Browser and Online Accounts

1. Check all browser settings, clear out the cache.
2. Make sure that your browser is up to date.
3. Set up two-factor authentication or passkeys for all financial and other important accounts.
4. Turn off autofill.
5. Remove all stored passwords from your browser.
6. Install a password manager to help manage and create unique, complex passwords. (NordPass, 1Password, Roboform, Keeper)
7. Delete any unused browsers on your computer.
8. Review and delete unused bookmarks.
9. Consider changing to a more secure browser with less tracking and online ads. (Brave, Mozilla Firefox, Opera)

Your Passwords

1. Visit haveibeenpwned and review email login and all passwords to see if your emails or passwords have been compromised. 
2. Review all passwords in your password manager. Delete any that are unneeded. Create unique, complex passwords for logins that have simple or shared passwords.

Your Social Media Accounts

1. Review all accounts and delete any that are unused.
2. Review your personal information and settings to ensure that only authorized individuals can view what you post.
3. Turn on two-factor authentication for logins.

Your Smartphone

1. Make sure that operating system is up to date and set to auto-update.
2. Review and delete any unused apps.
3. Organize your apps.
4. Organize your photos and videos
5. Check app permissions. (Especially location permissions).
6. Make sure VPN is installed and functioning for use when surfing on public networks.
7. Clean the charging port.
8. Clean your phone. Consider purchasing a new case.

Your Old Devices and Technology

1. Remove and destroy old hard drives.
2. Recycle all old devices, monitors, chargers, and cords.

This is a good list to start a Digital Spring Cleaning. I hope that you take some time to make your online life more efficient and secure.

Ralph Broadwater, M.D., CFP®

© 2024 The Arkansas Financial Group, Inc., All rights reserved.

The Arkansas Financial Group, Inc. is a Fee-Only Financial Planning Firm located in Little Rock, AR serving clients in Arkansas and throughout the country.

Please remember that past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment, investment strategy, or product (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended or undertaken by The Arkansas Financial Group, Inc. [“AFG]), or any non-investment related content, made reference to directly or indirectly in this commentary will be profitable, equal any corresponding indicated historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Due to various factors, including changing market conditions and/or applicable laws, the content may no longer be reflective of current opinions or positions. Moreover, you should not assume that any discussion or information contained in this commentary serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from AFG. AFG is neither a law firm, nor a certified public accounting firm, and no portion of the commentary content should be construed as legal or accounting advice. A copy of the AFG’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees continues to remain available upon request or at www.arfinancial.com.

Please Remember: If you are a AFG client, please contact AFG, in writing, if there are any changes in your personal/financial situation or investment objectives for the purpose of reviewing/evaluating/revising our previous recommendations and/or services, or if you would like to impose, add, or to modify any reasonable restrictions to our investment advisory services. Unless, and until, you notify us, in writing, to the contrary, we shall continue to provide services as we do currently. Please Also Remember to advise us if you have not been receiving account statements (at least quarterly) from the account custodian.