How do I know what data companies are collecting about me online?

Start by asking yourself: what traces am I leaving? Most platforms have privacy settings buried three layers deep—not by accident. I'd suggest downloading your data directly from Google, Meta, Apple. See what they've actually stored. It's unsettling at first, but clarity beats anxiety. Then move slowly: disable location history, limit ad tracking, use a privacy-focused browser. The Taoist approach isn't rejecting technology entirely—that's naive. It's understanding the flow of your information and making intentional choices about where it goes. You don't need to be perfect. You need to be aware. One person recently told me checking their Google timeline was like watching their own ghost—their movements mapped for years. That visibility itself changes how you think about what you're doing. Start there. Pick one service this week, download your data, sit with what you see. That's not paranoia. That's wu wei—acting in accordance with what actually is, not what you hope is true.