It’s no secret that your online activity is tracked by a number of different entities nowadays. The data collected about you online can include personal information like your home address and phone number, financial information like credit card and bank account numbers, and information about the kinds of things you’re searching for and buying online. Sometimes this data is stored so companies can target you with specific advertisements or to streamline the process of checking out when you’ve done some online shopping, but depending on a site’s user agreements your information could also be sold to the highest bidder, or worse, stolen by cybercriminals.
There are lots of security options available to you to prevent your data from collected. While many of these solutions are most easily applied to personal networks, there are options available to keep your information safe when you’re browsing on the go as well.
Virtual Private Networks
A virtual private network, or VPN, is a tool used to significantly increase your privacy online. These systems work by routing your online activity through your VPN provider’s server via an encrypted tunnel. Because your online activity is running through this tunnel to their server instead of directly to the network you’re connecting to, your IP address (the identifier used to distinguish your connection to a network from anyone else’s) will appear as one belonging to the VPN server, which makes it incredibly difficult for your activity or information to be viewed by anyone with eyes on a network’s traffic.
VPNs also allow you to mask your location, which can come in handy if you want to watch a movie on a streaming service that is only available in another country or watch a sporting event that has been blacked out in your area.
VPNs can be easily installed on your router at home, protecting all your online activity, but you can also take advantage of a VPN download to specific devices such as your phone, tablet, or laptop to keep your information safe even when you’re connected to public networks.
Most VPNs are paid services. Depending on which one you subscribe to you’ll be allowed to connect different numbers of devices to the VPN, have access to different server locations, and offer a range of other services like file-sharing protections.
Private Browsing
Private browsing, while not as thoroughly protective as utilizing a VPN, is a tool you can use to increase anonymity when using the built-in internet browser on your phone. Different browsers have different names for this feature, but they all function in basically the same way: after you close a private browsing window or tab, all records of searches you entered, sites you visited, and cookies that were deposited on your device by those sites are erased. This can make it more challenging for businesses to track your searches and target you with advertisements.
Privacy Settings
Checking your privacy settings on your phone is another way to further protect yourself from individuals and groups who may want to track you when you’re online. Most phones have universal privacy settings that are applied across the device, as well as individual settings for different apps.
Some settings allow you to block cross-site tracking and third-party cookies, the kind used by advertisers to target you with ads for specific products and services. You may also have the option to block all cookies, though this can be inconvenient when applied as cookies help frequently-visited sites load faster.
While looking at your privacy settings, you may also want to check your location settings. Some apps may be tracking your location at all times, rather than just when they’re open or when you’ve specifically allowed them to.
Keeping your information private online is important. By paying attention to your settings and taking advantage of new privacy tools, you can protect yourself from both prying eyes and hackers and criminals looking to steal your data.
