Teenagers have always been formidable hackers. In fact, in recent years, some of the most high-profile and brazen digital attacks around the world have been carried out by teens. But even if you're not a hacker, you’re probably still a prolific user of digital tools and social platforms. And whether you've never given much thought to your digital privacy and security or you've started to rein in your data, you can use this guide to implement basic precautions and keep operations security in mind. In other words, this guide contains advice and ideas to help you conceptualize how people can find out information about you from your digital activities—and start to minimize what’s out there in ways you didn’t intend.
Protecting your digital privacy isn't a blanket prescription. Some people are more private by nature, and others prioritize putting themselves out there. But even if you're a 24/7 streamer, you can still think about your operations security, commonly known as opsec. What can viewers see in your room while you're streaming? Which people from your life have appeared onscreen? Could viewers figure out where you live from what they can see out your window?
These same types of questions can be adapted for any type of onlooker—from the tech companies that operate the platforms you use to people browsing your social media or dating profiles or a friend (FORMER FRIEND) looking over your shoulder at your phone.
What Opsec Is and Why It Matters
In digital operations security, “operations” are the things that make up online activity like messages, searches, AI chats, websites, photos, accounts, passwords, and so on. The “security” piece has two goals. One is secrecy: No one sees stuff they shouldn’t. The other is availability: You don’t lose access to your data and accounts.
Opsec is hard, because secrecy and availability conflict. The more secret you make things, the easier it is to accidentally lock yourself out and vice versa. Good security is a balance.
It's worth saying, though, that opsec is not paranoia. Just because you’re (probably) not a cartel boss, that doesn’t mean your privacy isn't important. For you, it’s about not being an easy target and building habits that prevent disasters. For example, your social media accounts getting hacked, losing all your photos from the last few years, or your school reading your AI chats.
At the same time, if your school account is compromised, it shouldn’t expose your private Instagram username. If your anonymous Reddit is discovered, it shouldn’t lead back to your real identity. If your fake email is leaked, it shouldn’t give someone access to your main inbox.
S 001