The invisible breadcrumbs

Even if your apps are secure, your cloud and metadata might be telling a different story. These guides help you tidy up syncing, revoke shared access, and make sure your phone isn’t leaking location or history behind your back.

How to disable Google location history and activity tracking

Google doesn’t just remember where you’ve been—it remembers what you searched, which videos you watched, and sometimes where you parked your car. Fortunately, it can be told to forget. Or at least stop keeping notes.

  1. Visit Google’s Activity Controls. Go to myactivity.google.com/activitycontrols. Here, you’ll see switches for:
  • Web & App Activity
  • Location History
  • YouTube History
  • Device Information

Disable all of them for a clean slate.

  1. Turn off location sharing in Maps
  • Open Google Maps
  • Tap your profile icon → Location sharing
  • Stop sharing with anyone listed—especially names you don’t recognise
  1. Delete location history
  • myactivity.google.com → Location History → Manage history
  • Tap the bin icon to delete all history
  • Optional: set auto-delete to 3 months
  1. Check Assistant activity. Google Assistant logs voice searches and interactions.
  • myactivity.google.com → Filter by “Assistant”
  • Delete anything sensitive
  • Consider turning the mic off in your settings or switching to manual activation
  1. Manage devices
  • Google Account → Security → Your Devices
  • Remove anything unfamiliar—or anything someone else could use
  1. Be aware: deletion isn’t always instant. Even after disabling history, some logs linger for a while. It’s not perfect privacy—but it’s much better than leaving the taps wide open.

How to revoke cloud access from shared accounts

Cloud storage is brilliant—until someone else is floating around inside your digital filing cabinet. Time to check who’s sharing what.

  1. Sign in on a safe device. As always, avoid using any devices you suspect might be compromised.

  2. For Google Drive

  • Go to drive.google.com
  • Right-click folders or files → “Share”
  • Remove anyone listed you don’t recognise (or no longer want included)
  • Don’t forget shared albums via Google Photos, or shared calendars in Google Calendar
  1. For iCloud
  • Sign in at icloud.com
  • Check shared albums in Photos
  • Check Notes for shared items
  • On your iPhone: Settings → Your Name → Family Sharing → remove anyone who shouldn’t be there
  • Check Find My access: Settings → Find My → Share My Location → turn off or restrict
  1. For Dropbox
  • Sign in at dropbox.com
  • Files → Shared → click “…” to unshare folders
  • Check connected apps under Account Settings → Connected Apps
  • Remove suspicious or legacy tools

  1. Change the passwords for all cloud services. Do this after you’ve removed their access—doing it first may tip someone off.

  2. Rebuild your calendar if needed. If your calendar has been used for surveillance (e.g., tracking appointments), consider starting a fresh one, with limited sharing and notifications off.

How to preserve metadata and evidence when exporting logs or screenshots

If you’re documenting tech-based abuse for legal, housing, or support reasons, it’s not just what you save—it’s how you save it.

  1. Preserve file timestamps. When saving screenshots or chat exports, don’t rename them unless you need to. The filename and creation date can help establish a timeline.

  2. Export logs as PDF or plain text. Apps like WhatsApp and Signal allow chat exports. Choose the format that shows timestamps, phone numbers, or email IDs clearly.

  3. Keep original files. Always save the unedited version—don’t crop or annotate your only copy. Make duplicates if needed.

  4. Use metadata-aware tools. When exporting files (e.g. Google Takeout, Dropbox logs), keep the zipped folders intact. If you extract them, avoid editing them on shared or monitored devices.

  5. Screenshot wisely

  • Include full timestamps, usernames, and URLs
  • If using mobile, try not to crop unless necessary
  • On Windows: [Snipping Tool]
  • On Mac: Cmd + Shift + 4, then select area
  1. Store copies in more than one place
  • Encrypted USB stick
  • Trusted friend
  • Private cloud folder (Proton Drive, Sync.com)
  1. Optional: include context. Attach a separate note or journal entry (plain text or PDF) describing what happened around each piece of evidence—dates, changes, odd behaviour, or conversations. This makes a stronger case if you ever need to explain the significance later.