Old backups and archived logs can hold onto data for months or even years. Even if you delete an app, your profile might still exist on the company’s servers.

Researchers have found that deleted data can persist indefinitely on many devices and platforms unless special tools are used to erase it securely.¹ Other studies have shown that social platforms often keep deactivated accounts in “cold storage,” preserving connections, activity history, and device identifiers.²

So, if you really want a fresh digital start before the new year, try this:

• Review your old accounts and request deletion directly from the company.
• Empty cloud drives and make sure backups don’t contain outdated sensitive files.
• Use secure deletion tools or built-in “erase data” features on your devices.
• Encrypt what you keep; even if the files remain somewhere, they can’t be read without the key.

A little digital housekeeping now can save you a lot of headaches later. True privacy isn’t about being invisible; it’s about making sure the parts of your life you’ve moved past don’t follow you into the future.

If you’d like to discuss privacy — or have questions about this post or your organization’s privacy practices — contact tiffany.soomdat@tueoris.com

— Tiffany A. Soomdat, MSL, CIPP/US • Senior Consultant @ Tueoris LLC

1. Reardon, J., Marforio, C., Capkun, S., & Basin, D. (2011, June 5). Secure deletion on log-structured file systems. ↩︎
2. Schaffner, B., Lingareddy, N., & Chetty, M. (2022, April). Understanding account deletion and relevant dark patterns on social media. ↩︎