Maintaining Privacy on the Internet
Keeping your information private online is no easy task, and it’s hard to know how to stay in control of what you share. While there’s no way to guarantee that your information never gets out, there are many steps you can take to make sure that your accounts and information are as private as possible and that any information you post online is safe. Read on to find out how you can best protect your privacy online.
Steps to Check Online Privacy on Internet Browsers
1. Disable third-party cookies.
2. Use a private search engine.
3. Use only https sites.
4. Lock down your social media profiles.
5. Eliminate or reduce app usage on apps that are tracking you.
6. Consider using a VPN or Proxy.
Disable third-party cookies
When you use the Internet, cookies track your activity. Cookies are small files that a website puts on your computer to store information. There are two kinds of cookies: first party cookies, which are usually exclusive to the website you are on and will not affect your future online browsing sessions, and third party cookies, which gather and track your information for advertising purposes. the use of cookies tracks your activity.
If you have ever encountered an oddly specific third-party advertisement while surfing the Internet, that’s the result of cookies. Disabling third-party cookies can help to protect your online privacy. Disabling third party cookies keeps advertisers from using your information and demographic data as a part of their marketing with targeted advertisements.
To do this, change the settings within your Internet browser under the Security and Privacy settings. Clearing cookies in web browsers is a simple task that should be done on a regular basis.
Try a private search engine
Use a private search engine like DuckDuckGo to keep your search history and personal information even more secure. DuckDuckGo and search engines like it automatically block hidden trackers and encrypt connections from tracking your information.
DuckDuckGo doesn’t collect your private information for their own use. They keep your searches, preferences, and data as private as possible. Search engines like Google, however, know a lot about you and your browsing history.
DuckDuckGo works as a search engine on its own or as an extension to Chrome or FireFox. This allows you to keep surfing the Internet as you normally would with an added element of privacy.
Install privacy spyware and anti-virus software
Spyware is a serious threat to online privacy. Spyware, often installed without the user knowing, can monitor all your online activity, record your passwords, track what you type, collect personal information, and damage the quality of your computer’s performance. It tracks users and could eventually have a role in committing crimes, like identity theft, against Internet users.
You can protect yourself from spyware by investing a solid anti spyware product. PCMag, a very reputable source, has several spyware products they recommend. These anti-spyware programs block spyware and keep your privacy from being violated.
Keeping Your Information Safe Through Encryption
Check a website's encryption status before entering any information to the site. Look for a locked padlock icon next to the website’s URL to figure this out. The padlock means that the website is encrypted and has a secure connection with the browser. Clicking on the padlock can tell you information such as cookies that the website has stored and permissions you as the user have granted the site.
You can also see whether or not a website is encrypted by checking whether it starts with HTTP or HTTPS. HTTPS is an encrypted version of HTTP, meaning your information is much more private on an HTTPS website. If you're trying to understand the difference between HTTP and HTTPS, know that HTTPS will win the privacy battle between the two.
Don't expect any information you put into a public computer to remain private. This means work computers, library computers, or any device that is shared by more than one person. You don’t have exclusive access to these kinds of computers when they’re shared by many users. This means you have less control of your privacy when using them.
Online Privacy on Social Media
Social media is now a huge part of our everyday online presence. Subsequently, because we've become more comfortable with sharing on the Internet, it’s sometimes easy to forget what is and isn’t safe to share online via social networks. Remember to never share personal information, including bank account info, current location, home address, your username and password to any account, social security numbers, or other personal data online.
If you post a picture with others in it, check in with them before making the picture public to make sure they’re comfortable with their image being on the Internet. Online privacy and social media are almost an oxymoron. Be proactive and take the necessary steps to make online privacy a priority with your social media accounts.
Online Privacy and Apps
Using the Internet isn’t the only way that companies can invade your privacy online. Be mindful of apps for phones or tablets, which can gather information, track your location, and more.
Privacy policies can be lengthy. But taking the time to read and consider what an app’s privacy policy says helps keep your online activity private. It will ensure you aren’t agreeing to the use of your information in a dangerous way. Make sure you understand what kind of permissions an app is asking for before you download it.
For any app you use that asks for an account, make sure to create a strong password and use two-factor authentication when possible.
Knowing how to keep your information and online activity private can be confusing, but taking time to disable cookies, use private search engines, and check the websites you use can help to maximize your online security and privacy.