Digital Tools to Curb Snooping

Let’s be clear. Your personal information online is not always yours to control. Thieves could grab a Social Security number stored unencrypted in a doctor’s computer; the National Security Agency could order an e-mail provider to unlock correspondence; even the phone company could supply the police with a map of your whereabouts for the last several months. For now, short of living in a cave without a cellphone, there are no fail-proof technological tricks to avoid this exposure. But there are a variety of tools to minimize your digital footprint. Some of these tools cost money, making digital privacy something of a luxury for those who can afford it. Others are free. But all of them take effort and awareness.