5 Effective Ways To Ensure Your Digital Privacy

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Nowadays, your personal data, interests, and browsing habits are highly desirable to advertisers. What’s more, cybercriminals are on the lookout for your financial data and security credentials to steal your identity, obtain loans and credits, and engage in several other fraudulent activities. Below are five effective ways to ensure your digital privacy.

1. Surf The Web With A “No Tracking” Search Engine

Google Chrome and other popular search engines collect your data and then use it to sell targeted ad space and make a profit. For the privacy-conscious, this level of surveillance can be uncomfortable. Brave Search, DuckDuckGo, and Qwant are good “no tracking” search engines that deliver high-quality results without tracking you online or exposing your identity. 

2. Use a Virtual Private Network

A “Virtual Private Network” ​​– simply known as VPN – is a method of secure communications that encrypts your Internet connection. A VPN can hide your IP (Internet Protocol) address, secure your connection on public Wi-fi, access geo-restricted content, bypass censorship, and ensure that your browsing experience isn’t tracked or recorded. Even though a VPN can’t guarantee complete online anonymity, it significantly enhances digital privacy.

3. Protect Your Passwords

While convenient, you should avoid using simple and similar passwords for multiple accounts. Instead, opt for strong and diverse passwords. Ideally, your passwords should combine special characters, numbers, and uppercase and lowercase letters. You may want to use a passphrase (a long string of words similar to a sentence) and convert it to a password. For example: “new password” could be expressed as “N3vv_Pa$$w0rd!”

In addition, avoid saving your passwords in your browser or consider deactivating this feature altogether. This will prevent serious issues in case your browser is hacked or your device ends up in the wrong hands. 

4. Avoid Oversharing Online

Social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok are excellent tools for connection, entertainment, and self-expression. However, they can pose a threat to digital privacy. Therefore, limiting the information you share about yourself is crucial. 

Your phone number, email address, place of residence, important documentation, financial details, and other types of Personally Identifiable Information and sensitive data should be off your social media profiles as they can be collected and used for fraudulent purposes. In addition to using privacy filters, always double-check your posts and photos for sensitive information you wouldn’t want to share on the Internet.

5. Opt out  

The data generated by your online activity is incredibly valuable for search engines, social networks, and third parties, such as data brokers. The latter collect and sell information about your browsing habits, interests, purchases, financial background, and general health. Not only does this represent a digital privacy threat, but it also leaves users of the Internet at greater risk of cyber attacks, spam, and shadow profiles. 

To boost your privacy while surfing the web, opt out of cookies and/or use a VPN as previously mentioned. You can also opt out of some of the biggest data brokering companies, which can be a time-consuming process. A quicker and more straightforward option is subscribing to personal information removal tools, which automate the opting out process. 

To Conclude

Being aware and cautious about how much of your sensitive information is being shared online is crucial. Surfing from a secure search engine, using a VPN, protecting your passwords, not oversharing, and opting out are five helpful ways to ensure your digital privacy.