Maintaining your privacy online is challenging and ongoing. As new technology is developed, companies are getting pretty savvy when it comes to learning about their consumers.
There are many ways you can increase your online privacy and keep your information protected. Using VPNs, extra-strong passwords, and separate email addresses are just a few ways to protect your internet privacy.
Virtual Private Networks
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A virtual private network is designed to disguise your IP address from websites. VPNs provide you with security and allow you to access sites from other countries.
Using a VPN is ideal for websites that use geo-location because you can see the site the same way the people from that country would. It's also smart to use a VPN if you're using a public or shared computer.
This type of protection also enables you to get more from services like Netflix. Movie selection varies from country to country, so using a VPN gives you access to content unavailable in your country.
Socially Distance From Your Social Networks
We're all guilty of this at some point ‘One more week until the vacation of a lifetime!' Sharing excitement with your friends is validating and fun, but it comes with the risk of leaving your home vulnerable while you're gone.
Anyone with bad intentions will know that you aren't home, and you become a victim of opportunity. Refrain from posting any announcement until after you're back home and safe.
It's also beneficial to check on your posts' privacy settings, especially if you've recently made a post public. This feature typically doesn't revert to private for your next status until you manually change them.
Multiple Email Addresses
Multiple email addresses to maximize your internet privacy is a simple solution to the invasion of spam messages. Email is a prime way for online companies to contact consumers, and the influx of messages can quickly clog your inbox.
Separate email addresses protect you from third parties with mal-intent. Keeping essential information away from the accounts you use on social media adds another layer of protection for your internet privacy.
Using multiple addresses divides your work and personal life. You won't have to navigate through endless filters to sort out the professional messages. It can even help prevent the faux pas of signing off a corporate email with “Love you!”
Alphanumeric Passwords
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There's a reason why companies suggest using letters, numbers, and a symbol for your password on websites. Your internet privacy and security are essential, and a password that others can't guess is your first protection.
Avoid using birthdays, phone numbers, or pets names. Steer clear from using the infamous “password1234” to protect your accounts. Using a random combination of numbers and letters ensures that it won't be easy for others to guess.
Be A Cookie Monster
Cookies are tiny pieces of data that relay information to and from your computer to the company that placed the file. They're the part of the website that saves your username and password so that you don't have to re-enter it every time.
Third-party cookies come from ads and track the websites you visit, how long you stay on the page, what kind of products you're looking to buy, and so much more. This information is then relayed to the company, where algorithms decide the advertisements you see.
Make sure you have all your usernames and passwords memorized or stored safely, and then delete the cookies from your cache in your settings. Then, you can choose to disable third party ones so you can limit how many companies track you.
You will have to re-enter your login information on your sites after deleting the cookies to improve your internet privacy.
Summary
Your internet privacy is important. Your information needs to be secure and hard to guess. Using alphanumeric passwords, multiple email accounts, and virtual private networks, you can ensure that you are protected online.
Don't forget to check your cache for cookies, and triple check your privacy settings on social media for optimal internet privacy.
