10 Ways to Ensure Online Privacy That Everyone Should Know.
The internet has become a vital tool for human communication, but it also comes with certain risks, the biggest of which is your privacy and security . Major tech giants are eager to get their hands on every bit of your data, and scammers are constantly trying to trick you, so you need to take a number of precautions to protect your privacy and online security . There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to these two issues, and unfortunately, the responsibility for keeping your data safe lies with you.
Before looking for a VPN or ways to delete your online accounts, it’s worth taking a little time to understand your privacy and security needs . After that, it will be much easier to take a few proactive steps to protect your privacy and security online. Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all “set it and forget it” solution, but I’m here to share a few helpful tips that can be helpful for any risks you may face.
Do not use reliable information unless necessary.
When installing an app on your phone, you’ll often be bombarded with pop-ups asking for permission to access your contacts, location, notifications, microphone, camera, and much more. Some of these are necessary, most are not. My rule of thumb is to deny all permissions unless they’re absolutely necessary for the app’s core functionality. Similarly, when creating an online profile, you should avoid providing any personal information unless absolutely necessary.
Most apps don’t require you to provide your real name, date of birth, or email address with your real name to register. Some sites still use outdated password recovery methods, such as security questions asking for your mother’s maiden name. Even in these fields, you don’t have to reveal the truth. Any information you post online is potentially compromised in the event of a data breach. It’s best to use information that is completely or partially false to protect your privacy.
You can remove yourself from Google search results.
If your personal information is readily available on Google and you want it removed, you can submit a request to Google. Instructions for deleting search results can be found on Google’s support page . For most users, the easiest way to remove information about yourself is to go to the “Search results about you” page on Google , sign in to your account, and follow the on-screen instructions.
Use email aliases to identify where your data was leaked.
Most modern email services allow you to create an unlimited number of aliases, meaning you don’t have to reveal your primary email address every time you sign up for a new service. Instead of registering with [email protected] , you can use something like [email protected] . Gmail allows you to create an unlimited number of aliases using this method, and you can use this to identify who leaked your data. If you suddenly start receiving a barrage of spam to a specific alias, you’ll know which site sold your data.
Your photographs say a lot about you.
When you take a photo, the file contains a lot of information about you. By default, all cameras save EXIF (exchangeable image format) data, which records the time the photo was taken, the camera used, and the photo settings. Before publishing photos online, you should remove EXIF data from your photos . If you use a smartphone to take photos, it also records the location of each image, which can be used to track you . While social media platforms can sometimes remove location and EXIF data from your photos, you can’t always rely on these platforms to protect your privacy.
Before downloading images, there are a few steps you should take to remove EXIF data. The easiest way to get started is to disable location access for your phone’s camera app. On both iPhone and Android, you can open the Settings app, navigate to privacy or permissions, and disable location access for the Camera app. This means you won’t be able to search for locations in the Photos app and identify all photos taken there, and you’ll also lose the ability to use some of the fun automatic slideshows Apple and Google create. However, it also means your privacy is protected. You can also use apps to quickly hide faces and anonymize metadata from photos.
By the way, don’t forget that screenshots can also reveal sensitive information about you. Some types of malware steal sensitive information from screenshots , so be sure to delete them periodically.
Think about what you are using AI for.
Almost every AI tool uses your data to improve its services . Sometimes this means everything you type or upload. Other times, it might use text you’ve written, photos or videos you’ve posted, and any other media you’ve ever uploaded to the internet to train its AI models. There’s little you can do about the mass collection of data from the internet, but you can and should be careful about how AI tools use it. Sometimes you can prevent AI tools from using your data permanently , but relying on these companies to honor these settings is like relying on Meta to keep your data private . It’s best to avoid disclosing any personal information to any AI service, no matter how strong your connection to it. Just assume that anything you send to an AI service can, and likely will, be used to train AI models or even sold to advertising companies.
You can delete information stored by data brokers.
Yes, large companies like Facebook or TikTok can track you even if you don’t have an account with them. Data brokers collect vast amounts of information about your internet browsing and sell it to advertisers or literally anyone willing to pay for it. To minimize the damage, you can start by following Lifehacker’s guide to blocking companies from tracking you online . Then, you can opt out of data collection by data brokers . If that’s not enough, you can also use services that remove your personal information from data broker sites .
VPN is not always the right solution.
Many of you probably think that using a VPN will protect you from most types of online tracking. While this may be true in some cases, running a VPN 24/7 isn’t the best option for most people. Firstly, a VPN simply reroutes all your traffic through the provider’s servers, meaning you have to rely on the company’s promises not to log your information and its ability to keep your data secure and private. Furthermore, a VPN won’t protect you from data leaks, such as those that can occur when publicly posting photos with your location.
Many VPN providers claim to protect you, but there are also some downsides to consider. While some companies, like Mullvad and Proton VPN, have earned a good reputation for privacy protection, constant VPN use can create more problems than it solves. Your internet speed will significantly decrease, streaming services may not work properly, and many websites may not load at all because they block the VPN’s IP addresses. In most cases, you’re probably better off using ad blockers and encrypted DNS.
Try a different combination of privacy tools.
For most people, ad blockers are a good privacy protection tool . While Google is tightening its grip on ad blockers, there are ways to circumvent these restrictions . I highly recommend uBlock Origin , which now has a mobile version . Once you’ve chosen a good ad blocker, you should also consider using a quality DNS service to filter trackers, malware, and phishing sites at the network level.
Having a DNS service is like a privacy filter for all your internet traffic, whether it’s on your phone, laptop, or even your router. I’ve been using NextDNS for several years, but you can also try AdGuard DNS or ControlD . All of these services offer generous free plans, but you can pay a small annual fee for additional features.
Use a good firewall for your computer.
These days, almost all apps send telemetry data to remote servers. This isn’t a big problem if you only use apps from trusted sources, and it can help with automatic software updates, for example. However, malicious apps or even poorly managed apps can expose your data more openly than you’d like.
You can limit some of this by using a good firewall app. This will allow you to monitor incoming and outgoing internet traffic from your device and prevent devices from sending unwanted data to the internet. Blocking these requests may interfere with some useful features, such as automatic app updates, but it can also prevent apps from sending unnecessary data to online servers. There are excellent firewall apps for Mac and Windows , and you should definitely consider using them to enhance your online privacy.
Switch to a good password manager.
I’ve probably said it a million times, but I’ll say it again: use a good password manager . It might seem a little annoying, but this simple step is the easiest way to significantly improve your online security. Password managers eliminate the need to remember passwords and generate unique, hard-to-crack passwords. Bitwarden and Apple Passwords (included with Mac, iPhone, and iPad) are free and do a great job. Start using them today. I guarantee you won’t regret it.