Tech privacy policies are confusing on purpose. I know, big shocker! But I'm always surprised by just how difficult these things are to comb through and what they hide.

Today, I'm calling out the biggest offenders -- and sharing one of my favorite, easy-to-use privacy tools.

I read these privacy policies so you don't have to. Some of these companies are collecting far more than you might realize.

Feeling a little creeped out? Me, too.

It'd be nice if we could wave a magic wand to see all the hidden privacy gotchas. The next best thing? These easy tips:

⌛ Time-saving tip: When you're reviewing a company's privacy policy on your computer, use Ctrl + F on Windows or Cmd + F on a Mac to quickly search for buzzwords like "sell," "partners" and "affiliates." Words like "geolocation" and "geotargeting" indicate your location information will be collected. Def search for those.

💬 Know the terms: Sections with names like "How we collect your personal data" show what a company gathers from you and how they do it. "How we use your personal information" is their take on why they need your data in the first place. "Business purposes" usually means they share it with third parties.

🎮 Protect the kids: Look for references to "COPPA" or the "Children's Online Privacy Protection Act" to see how a company protects your kid's data.

Phew, that's a lot. I'm always on the hunt to shortcut some of the hard work of securing your privacy. That's where Incogni comes in.

This service finds all the sketchy people-search and data-broker sites where your personal information is listed and submits requests to remove it. Incogni has removed my info from 752 different data-broker and people-search sites. Amazing, right?

I love getting regular progress updates and knowing my info stays off these sites for the long haul. If you go the DIY route, prepare to remove yourself from the same sites over and over.