Breaking up is hard enough without worrying about your ex having access to your personal information. In today’s world, most couples share accounts, and they may eve share passwords. Sharing accounts is convenient, efficient, and saves money. This sharing makes sense when you’re together, but after a breakup, these connected accounts can cause serious problems, so it’s very important to protect yourself.
When you share accounts with someone, you give him a window into your private world. He can see your emails, photos, messages, location, and even your financial details. During your relationship, this openness felt natural. Now, it’s a privacy risk you need to fix right away.
After you break up, you run the risk of your ex using this information against you. He might not have bad intentions, but he doesn’t need to know what shows you watch, when you’re online, where you’re accessing accounts from, or how much money you’re spending. Yes, many services actually track and show your location based on where you log in! Even if the breakup was friendly, keeping these digital connections is like giving someone a key to your house after they’ve moved out. It could be used to cyber stalk you, commit identity theft, or even commit financial fraud.
Shared accounts also make it more difficult to separate after a breakup. It can be challenging to untangle your digital lives, and this is especially true if you have joint accounts for streaming services or other subscription-based services. You might find yourself locked out of these accounts or having to deal with the awkwardness of deciding who keeps an account.
What can you do to protect your data privacy after a breakup?
Start by making a list of all the accounts and devices you’ve shared. Don’t worry if you can’t remember everything at once… you can add to your list as more accounts come to mind. Think about:
- Email addresses (even one that you didn’t necessarily share, but you might have signed into on a shared device)
- Online banking
- Social media
- Cloud storage like Dropbox, Google Drive, or Apple iCloud
- Online shopping (not just Amazon, but other stores like Target or Walmart)
- Streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Peacock, Paramount, YouTube TV
- Food delivery apps
- Travel accounts
- Phone plans
- Utilities
Also consider devices where your login information might be saved, such as shared computers, tablets, smart TVs, home systems, and gaming consoles.
Once you know what accounts need attention, change passwords on your personal accounts first. Start with email and banking, since these are the most sensitive. Create strong passwords that your ex couldn’t guess based on information he knows about you. Setting up two-factor authentication adds an extra security step beyond just a password, usually sending a code to your phone when someone tries to log in.
Don’t forget to check for saved payment methods on shopping sites. Remove your cards from accounts your ex still uses or create new accounts just for you. For subscription services, decide who keeps which accounts or cancel shared ones and start fresh. For services like Netflix where profiles exist, make sure to delete or reset your viewing history.
Many digital connections aren’t obvious but need attention. Family sharing plans for music, apps, or cloud storage can keep you linked to your ex without you realizing it. The same goes for shared digital photo albums, smart home devices, loyalty programs, auto-fill information on browsers, and password managers that might store all your login details.
Pay attention to your social media accounts. Review your privacy settings so you know who can see your posts and private information. Think carefully about what you post on social media, and consider that even if your ex doesn’t have direct access to see your account, someone could always take screenshots and send him the information.
Remember, taking these steps isn’t about being paranoid or assuming your ex has bad intentions. It’s about giving yourself the privacy and fresh start you deserve after a relationship ends. Your digital life contains some of your most personal information. Taking control of it is an important step in moving forward.
