Tech-tip - Securely Disposing of Your Mobile Device
Overview
Mobile devices, such as smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets, continue to advance and we continue to change these on a yearly basis or as soon as a new device is available. This just means we now have a lot of devices carrying information about us and others close to us.
Your Information
Mobile devices store far more sensitive data than you may realize, oftentimes more than even your computer. Typical information can include:
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Where you live, work, and places you frequently visit
, employee details, IRD numbers (making it easy for identity theft)
•The contact details for everyone in your address book and applications, including family, friends, and coworkers
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Call history, including inbound, outbound, and missed calls
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SMS (texting), voice, and multimedia messages
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Chat sessions within applications like secure chat, games, and social media
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Location history based on GPS coordinates or cell tower history
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Web browsing history, search history, cookies, and cached pages
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Personal photos, videos, audio recordings, and emails
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Stored passwords and access to personal accounts, such as your online bank or email
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Access to photos, files, or information stored in the Cloud
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Any health-related information, including your age, heart rate, blood pressure, or diet
When disposing of your mobile device, be sure to do a factory reset and remove the SIM and any SD cards if your device has them.
(so many resources are available to assist you do the above on the net and most vendor sites some with videos)
Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Social media platforms would be tasked with ensuring children have no access (under-age children and their parents wouldn’t be penalised for breaching the age limit)
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Do you think NZ should follow suit? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
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85.5% Yes
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13.4% No
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1.1% Other - I'll share below
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
Railing planters
To gain extra growing space, make and hang these easy-to-build planters on almost any wooden fence or deck railing. Use Resene FX Blackboard Paint so you can easily identify what plants are in each. Find out how to create your own with these easy step by step instructions.