How to Win the Digital Privacy Game and Secure Your Data
As the internet continues to expand and make the world go around, more and more internet users are concerned about securing their data and digital privacy. The fear that our data is exploited, misused, or sold without our knowledge is becoming more prevalent. Add the concerns over data breaches to the mix, and you will soon realize just how vulnerable your data can truly be. Basically, you have two options. Embrace the current situation and hope for the best or take action. There are ways to become safer online and ensure that your data does not in precarious places.
Share Limited Personal Data
One of the best ways to keep your personal information safe is to share as little as possible about yourself. We know it’s hard to resist the temptation of sharing your personal life on social media networks. However, sometimes less is more.
Unfortunately, even without you deliberately sharing your data, social media has a way of keeping tabs on you. Facebook, for instance, already uses your profile data and interests to display ads. At some point, researchers even speculated that Facebook might be secretly listening to your conversations via microphone. However, while such allegations have been denied, there are plenty of worrying signs to consider.
Perhaps the most disturbing one of all is the fact how many access privileges we voluntarily give to Facebook (or any other app for that matter). Digital services are obliged to keep many data-sharing or collecting practices on an opt-in basis. Thus, it is possible to prevent apps or social media networks from abusing your data. However, many users tend to stick with the default settings.
Use Private or Incognito Mode
Each time you go online via your browser, it saves your cookies and history. Every action you make online generates data that is stored somewhere online. You can prevent your browser from saving your cookies and history by surfing the web in private or incognito mode. You can find this feature in most reputable web browsers. It’s either called Private Browsing or Incognito.
However, this won’t prevent your ISP from tracking and monitoring your browsing activities. Even in private mode, the web pages you browse can still track you. Therefore, even though this is a layer of protection, it’s far from enough to ensure total digital privacy.
Use Different Search Engines
Even though most internet users rely on Google as their number one search engine, there are other trusted engines that can provide the same results while ensuring your privacy online.
These alternative search tools are typically more focused on users’ privacy and might abandon some of the most concerning practices. Thus, while Google is our habit, it is never too late to embrace new and probably better ones.
Use a VPN
A Virtual Private Network can also help you become more anonymous and safer online. It encrypts information about your web traffic. Additionally, it lets you change your IP address and prevents digital entities from learning your location. A VPN app on a smartphone or a Windows device can definitely make a difference. However, it should be combined with other privacy-focused tools.
You can try using browsers such as Brave or Mozilla Firefox or reviewing access rights given to various apps. Sometimes, applications can get greedy and require more privileges than they need. Therefore, make sure that none of your apps overstep this line.
Be Mindful of What You Click
The internet is swarming with various threats and malicious links that can easily steal your data or distribute malware. Therefore, a bit of caution before you click on any link is advised. Do everything you can to verify that the link comes from a trusted source before you open it. Many people fall victim to phishing attempts because they were quick to click on unverified links.
Hackers send links that look valuable or important to trick internet users into believing that these are genuine links. However, this is only a trick to get their hands on your valuable data. People often fall for it, follow the link, and end up on cloned sites giving away their financial and personal data.
Use a Powerful Antivirus Tool
Most people use antivirus software on their desktop computers but keep their other devices unprotected. You should install antivirus on all your devices to prevent hackers from hacking into your system and installing malicious programs. Combine your antivirus with reputable anti-malware software to ensure maximum protection.
Conclusion
Even with all this, there are still no guarantees that can tell you that you’re going to be safe online. However, it’s better to do something about it than to just sit and wait for something to go wrong. If you start practicing these tips, you’ll be able to develop your digital privacy strategy to ensure as much digital privacy as you possibly can.