Privacy is one of the major concerns whenever you go online, open a browser and visit a website. With the time passing by and technological advancement, the intrusion and hacking has been on the rise.
Nowadays knowing about a person as simple as buying bread from a grocery store, thanks to the social media platforms and apps used. However, you can still manage to keep a hold on things and control.
In this post, we have covered some of basic methods on how to stop websites from tracking you. Read on!
Privacy Tools
Getting an extension or addon added to your browser can be the best you can do to avert data leaking. If you use Firefox, you can use NoScript Security Suite, ScriptSafe, if it is Chrome that you use to surf. These extensions stop active things on websites from running, if you want otherwise. You can also go for Electronic Frontier Foundation’s Privacy Badger, which obstruct unwanted third-party cookies which track whilst allowing the useful ones. Another alternative could be Disconnect, which provides free extensions that function in an alike manner. Ghostery an extension available all the popular browser, prevents cross site third party trackers from operating. With this extension, you can check the catalogue of trackers on every site and select to allow or block as needed.
Go For Inbuilt Browser Alternatives
If you want more control over cookie settings, you need to go to browser settings window. One of the settings, “ Do Not Track” turned on implies that a user doesn’t want to get tracked. Under this protocol, the sites are asked not to run scripts which track your behavior. Well, it seems to be answer in concept but there is no legal obligation for sites to fulfil the request, that’s why many websites will just neglect it. Websites like Twitter, Pinterest that follow Do Not Track request.
In case, you can also open private or incognito window, so the cookies are kept for the existing browsing session. When you close the incognito (private) window, all the cookies are purged from your computer, as if you have never been there.
However, private window mode doesn’t prevent ISPs and websites from detecting that you are online. Your IP address is still visible. Let’s say if you sign in on Facebook, regular rules about data collection and tracking still work the same way. So, incognito mode doesn’t stop from getting tracked, it rather makes you anonymous when online.
Dial back tracking on services
You can also check the data privacy preferences within the services that you use. For that, you need to go to ad preferences page on Facebook, to restrict how Facebook aim you, both off and on social media network. Also you need to go to Google’s account page wherein you can change the preferences including deleting searches, disabling personalized ads. If you use fewer apps and websites, it limits the revelation of personal information. However, personalizing settings, and activating options to limit the exposure, are getting too old to handle modern day tracking and snooping.
Starting With a VPN or DNS service
One of the best ways to stay anonymous is installing Virtual Private Network will hide your current location and other sensitive information. Before installing VPN, you should be aware of its functionalities and restrictions. Register with VPN provider or use a free VPN according to your needs. Signing up means you are giving authority to VPN company to sneak peak all the websites you surf and all that you are doing. Well, most of the VPNs determine that they don’t track or log your data.
Once you have VPN enabled, websites you surf will see IP address of VPN server instead of physical location. However, the sites will leave cookies, track you around other sites and try to identify you by checking which website you logged.
VPN is just an addon to make you less traceable, but it can’t be relied to block personal data revealed on web.
VPN are option for Domain Name System providers. DNS service directs you to the correct web address when you key in URL in address bar. You use DNS provided by your Internet Service Provider, which simply means that it will work according to monitoring and tracking policies of your ISP.
Using VPN is not an ultimate solution, it is just that you are trusting some other organization instead of your internet service provider. There is another option, if you want to anonymity. IBM Security’s Quad9 which swears that it doesn’t collect, sell, store any information indicating browsing habits.
Another way is to choosing HTTPS over HTTP as it codes data between you and the website you are visiting. The advantage of using HTTPS is that it keeps your data secure, also prevents ISPs from accumulating a significant number of data. For example, they can track you are on Facebook, but they can’t quite check which friend’s profile you are checking or what posts you liked.
To make sure you use HTTPS, you should install HTTPS everywhere extension, so the next time you visit a website, it will make sure it redirects you to HTTPS type of the website, if available.
So, these are some of the ways that you can opt to try and minimize tracking but getting rid of it completely is quite hard. Even after using several tricks to stop the monitoring at some level, it is advised to stay alert while browsing. Follow these methods and it could be a good beginning.