Syllabus Lesson 32 of 156 · Consent, dark patterns and taking back control
Consent, dark patterns and taking back control

Leg 1 project: audit your digital life

Why it matters This is where the leg comes together. You will audit your own browser, email, phone, apps and accounts, using what you learned in every module. By the end you will have closed the main channels that watch you, and you will know which ones you chose to leave open.

How this project works

Work through the checklist below at your own pace, in one sitting or over a week. For each item, either fix it or decide consciously to leave it. There is no wrong answer: the aim is that every channel is a choice you made.

Your results stay on your device. Nothing on this page is saved or sent. Keep your notes on paper or in a note on your own device. When you finish, the self-check below asks you to apply what you learned.

1. Browser (about 15 minutes)

  • [ ] Third-party cookies are blocked, or your browser blocks trackers by default (Cookies module).
  • [ ] Tracking protection is at its strongest setting that still lets your usual sites work.
  • [ ] Global Privacy Control is on; navigator.globalPrivacyControl says true in the console (Fingerprinting module).
  • [ ] Every extension is one you use, and its site access is as narrow as it can be (Pixels module).
  • [ ] You know whether your browser uses uniformity or randomisation against fingerprinting (Fingerprinting module).

2. Email (about 10 minutes)

  • [ ] Remote images are off or set to ask, or Mail Privacy Protection is on (Pixels module).
  • [ ] You have an email alias option set up for new sign-ups (hashed-email lesson).
  • [ ] You unsubscribed from three newsletters you no longer read.

3. Phone (about 15 minutes)

  • [ ] App tracking requests are refused (iPhone) or the advertising ID is deleted (Android 12 and later).
  • [ ] Personalised ads from the phone maker are off.
  • [ ] Location is "While using" or "Never" for every app, and precise location is off where it is not needed.
  • [ ] Camera, microphone, contacts and photos permissions are only granted to apps that need them.

4. Apps and devices (about 10 minutes)

  • [ ] You deleted at least one app you no longer use.
  • [ ] For one app you keep, you read its privacy label in the app store and know which data it collects.
  • [ ] If you have a smart TV, its viewing-information (ACR) setting is off.

5. Accounts (about 20 minutes)

  • [ ] For each big account, ad personalisation is off and activity auto-delete is on where offered.
  • [ ] Connected apps you no longer use have been removed.
  • [ ] You listed old accounts by searching your email for "welcome" and "verify your email".
  • [ ] You deleted at least three accounts you no longer need.
  • [ ] For one site you use, you skimmed its privacy policy for "partners" and "share" (Consent module).

6. Reflect (5 minutes)

Write down three channels you closed, and one you chose to keep open and why (for example, staying logged in to an email account because it is convenient). That last one matters: privacy is about informed choices, not perfection.

Then take the self-check. Each question is a situation you might meet in real life.

Recap

  • You audited five areas: browser, email, phone, apps and accounts.
  • Each channel is now closed, or open by your own choice.
  • Your notes and results never left your device.
  • Repeat the audit every few months; settings and apps change.

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