I've heard many stories of people who have had their personal information leaked online. This is known as doxxing and it can be a nightmare for anyone who may fall victim to it.
While the chances of this happening to you is slim, it's always best to protect yourself against it.
Here's how.
Don't Post Sensitive Personal Information Online
This one is pretty obvious. Don't post anything such as your address, phone number, job, passwords or any other similar information online for everyone to see. There will always be people who take pleasure out of doxxing other people. Make your social media accounts viewable only to friends (however, it is best to not even have social media accounts in the first place). If anyone you don't know asks for above-mentioned information, don't give it to them.
Remove EXIF data from images
"What is EXIF data?" you may ask. EXIF data is "exchangeable image file format" or, in layman's terms, the thing that links information to images. This information can include what camera was used to take the image and also where it was taken.
Fortunately, most platforms which allow you to upload or post images remove EXIF information by default. However, some images may slip through without EXIF information removed while other platforms simply don't remove EXIF.
There are various online tools available for viewing and removing EXIF. One of them is VerEXIF and you'll find many others in a quick Google Search.
Stay anonymous online
Removing your personal information from public view won't completely ensure that your information is safe. Organizations and websites get hacked daily and if your information happens to be on one of them then your information could be made public. The best way to safeguard against this is to limit the amount of information you give to these websites. Only fill in the required fields when you sign up to a website or service, and falsify any insignificant information (birth dates, real names, etc.). Be aware that falsifying some information online is illegal in some countries, so tread carefully.
For an extra layer of security use a VPN. A VPN hides your IP address online and therefore all the information that comes along with it (such as your location). There are quite a few free options out there such as Hotspot Shield and Windscribe.
Be smart
If you've done everything I have mentioned above, then you should be sufficiently protected against doxxing. However, it doesn't end there. Watch out for Phishing, be aware of where your information might be leaked (check HaveIBeenPwned to see if it has already been leaked), and stay smart.