The first step in protecting your online privacy is creating a safe password - i.e. one that a computer program or persistent individual won't easily be able to guess in a short period of time. To help you choose a secure password, Google has created a feature that lets you know visually how safe your password is as soon as you create it.
Tips for creating a secure password:
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Include punctuation marks and/or numbers.
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Mix capital and lowercase letters.
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Include similar looking substitutions, such as the number zero for the letter 'O' or '$' for the letter 'S'.
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Create a unique acronym.
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Include phonetic replacements, such as 'Luv 2 Laf' for 'Love to Laugh'.
Things to avoid:
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Don't reuse passwords for multiple important accounts, such as Gmail and online banking.
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Don't use a password that is listed as an example of how to pick a good password.
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Don't use a password that contains personal information (name, birth date, etc.)
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Don't use words or acronyms that can be found in a dictionary.
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Don't use keyboard patterns (asdf) or sequential numbers (1234).
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Don't make your password all numbers, uppercase letters or lowercase letters.
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Don't use repeating characters (aa11).
Tips for keeping your password secure:
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Never tell your password to anyone (this includes significant others, roommates, parrots, etc.).
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Never write your password down.
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Never send your password by email.
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Periodically test your current password and change it to a new one.