PONI Starter Checklist

10 minutes to be less interesting

Be safer. Share less. Live more.

You do not need to disappear from the internet. You need to understand what is exposed and make a few smart choices. Tick off what you do. Start anywhere. Tip: print this page and tick the boxes as you go.

Part 1. See what others see

• 1. Search yourself. Search your name in a search engine to see what others can find. Note anything surprising: old profiles, listings, tagged photos. Why: you cannot reduce what you have not seen.
• 2. Delete one old account. Pick a shop, forum, or app you have not used in a year, and close the account. Check you won't need anything in it first, because deleting is permanent. One is plenty for today. Why: every forgotten account is an extra place your details can leak from.

Part 2. Lock the doors that matter most

• 3. Use a password manager. Start by giving your email and your bank their own unique passwords. Why: reused passwords turn one leak into many break-ins.
• 4. Turn on two-step verification for your email, your bank, and your mobile phone account. When you have a choice, pick a passkey first, then an authenticator app, and use text-message codes only if nothing else is offered. Text codes are still much better than nothing. Why: a stolen password alone is no longer enough.
• 5. Call your mobile carrier. Ask what protections they offer against someone moving your phone number to a different SIM, such as a PIN or number lock. Why: your phone number is often the key to resetting other accounts.
• 6. Turn on automatic updates on your phone and computer. Why: updates fix the holes that criminals actually use.
• 7. Use a screen lock on your phone: a PIN of at least six digits, or a password. Avoid four-digit codes and patterns. Why: a lost phone should not mean lost accounts.

Part 3. Share less

• 8. Review location access. In your phone's settings, look at which apps can see where you are. For apps that do not need it, choose "never" or "don't allow." For apps that do, choose "while using the app" instead of "always." Why: your location reveals where you live, work, and travel.
• 9. Pause before you post. Before sharing a photo or update, ask: does this show where I live, where my children go to school, or that I am away from home? Post trips after you return. Why: small details add up to a picture strangers can use.

Part 4. Slow down when you are rushed

• 10. Use the 10-second pause. If a message pushes you to act now, such as a package problem, a bank alert, a fine, or a prize, do not tap the link. Open the official app, type the website yourself, or call a number you know is real. Why: scammers rely on hurry, not on your intelligence.

Bonus (United States): consider a free credit freeze with each of the three credit bureaus. It makes it harder for someone to open new credit in your name. You can lift it when you need to apply for credit.

Your score: count your ticks. - 0 to 3: You have started. That counts. - 4 to 7: You are making real progress. - 8 to 10: You are well on your way to being a PONI.

If money is lost or an account is taken over: contact your bank or the affected service right away, then report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (FTC) and ic3.gov (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center).

A safety note. If you are in an abusive or stalking situation, make a safety plan before you change settings or delete accounts, because the other person may notice. Specialist support is available, for example the National Domestic Violence Hotline at thehotline.org.

Made by PONI (BeAPONI.com). AI helps us draft; a person reviews everything before it is published. The founder also runs AAM Cyber, a cybersecurity consultancy. This checklist has no affiliate links. It is educational, not legal advice, and no one can promise complete security. We correct mistakes openly.