With the rise in the use of the Internet, the information individuals release online can be (and is) collated, tracked, and used for several purposes. From sensitive personal information, financial data, digital footprints shared on social networks, to Internet searches, and on IP addresses, you need to worry about how this data will affect your privacy.
According to studies, 80% (or more) of people using the internet are worried about how their personal information is being used. The concern about internet privacy is due to the rise in the number of devices connected to the Internet (the Internet of Things).
E-commerce has also become very popular over the past few years. If you’re among the billions who give out personal data online, have you ever wondered how to protect your data online?
The fact that your information is exposed on the Internet has its disadvantages. However, data collection has a lot of benefits which sometimes outweigh the cons.
There are certain points to take note of when sharing information on the internet to make sure your data is not misused. Some of these include:
- Private Browsers and Search Engines Usage
The conventional search engines are known to track, collect, and trade data generated on the Internet. Private search engines (such as Disconnect Search and DuckDuckGo), on the other hand, do not keep track of anything users type. For untracked and consistent search results, it is, therefore, advisable to make use of private search engines.
There is a private browsing mode in most of the recognized Internet browsers. Though they do not protect your privacy as much as many people assume, they help delete all tracking records such as your history, cookies, and cache. If you want your online activities to remain private, make use of private Internet browsers. They employ technical tricks in blocking or interfering with tracking and collecting of data.
- Learn How “Free-To-Use” Websites and Applications Work
Some of the available social networks and internet-based media platforms do not always require payment for use. The organizations that founded these services, sometimes, collect and sell data generated from users’ during their stay on these sites. Not to worry, the data generated do not include sensitive information.
Find out the real cost of these free-to-use Internet services and how they operate. Make sure you delete your browsing history after visiting. Also, use privacy-inclined custom browsers and search engines.
- Learn About the Privacy Policy of Internet-Based Tools
Most people do not understand the implications of the privacy policies on websites before use. It is best to read and understand this section as much as possible.
Check to see what information is to be collected from you and why? Do they share or sell it to a third party site? Getting answers to these questions shows you how much of your privacy is at stake.
It is not entirely possible to prohibit data collection. It will obstruct the breakthroughs in innovations and technology. However, users should limit the way data is used and also pay knee attention to how they’re shared.
So, yes, you need to worry about your privacy online. Don’t just worry, make an effort to protect yourself.