We live in a world where everyone wants to have access to your online data, and most of the time we give that data willingly by either allowing some app in Facebook to access our contacts and personal information, or by signing up to some website using Twitter, either way we give up our personal identity all the time and that poses security risks. Unless is a trusted source, that third party app or website could be selling your personal information and making a fortune at your expense, sometimes even trusted sources resort to doing that.
I’m not gonna lie, I also allow third party apps or websites to access my information, just because is easier to sign up to WebsiteX with my Facebook credentials than with my good ol’ fashioned email/password.
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After years of doing this I’ve come to realize that a lot of the services/apps/websites that I had given access to, I do not use anymore, yet they still had access to my contacts and personal information, and that in my book is a big NO NO for privacy and security issues, and should be the same in your book too.
Below I give you direct links to the exact section in every major social platform, where you can revoke access to those “old” third party apps and websites, and cutting off the access to your personal information.
Take a note that you have to be logged in to that particular service (i.e. Google, Facebook) to be able to access these links.
Google has a section called Apps connected to your account, from here you can click on that app/website you wish to revoke access and click Remove.
Direct Link: https://myaccount.google.com/permissions?pli=1
Instagram has a section called Authorized Applications, from here click Revoke Access from the app/website you wish to revoke access.
Direct Link: https://www.instagram.com/accounts/manage_access/
Facebook has a section called Logged in with Faceook, from here hover over the app/website you wish to revoke access and click the X icon. With some apps Facebook will ask you if you wish yo remove all of your posts/activities related to this particular app, make sure you check off that box and click Remove
Direct Link: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=applications
Twitter has a section called Applications, from here click Revoke access from the app/website you wish to revoke access.
Direct Link: https://twitter.com/settings/applications.
GitHub
And because I am a programmer, I include GitHub. GitHub has a section called Authorized applications, from here click Revoke from the app/website you wish to revoke access.
Direct Link: https://github.com/settings/applications
Bonus: If you care about privacy, I recommend getting a VPN service and browse the internet in complete anonymity. Give VPN.AC a try and hide your identity online. 🙂
VPN or Virtual Private Network
A VPN or Virtual Private Network is a method used to add security and privacy to private and public networks, like WiFi Hotspots and the Internet. VPNs are most often used by corporations to protect sensitive data. However, using a personal VPN is increasingly becoming more popular as more interactions that were previously face-to-face transition to the Internet. Privacy is increased with a VPN because the user’s initial IP address is replaced with one from the VPN provider. This method allows subscribers to attain an IP address from any gateway city the VPN service provides. For instance, you may live in San Francisco, but with a VPN, you can appear to live in Amsterdam, New York, or any number of gateway cities. [excerpt taken from www.whatismyip.com]
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Instagram includes a part named Authorized Applications, from here click Revoke Access in the app/website you wish to reverse access. With some programs, Facebook will ask you if you want to yo get rid of all your posts/activities related to this specific app, be sure to check off that box and click on Remove Twitter includes a part known as Applications, from here click Revoke access from the app/website you wish to revoke access.