Online Tracking: How to Avoid Being Monitored on the Internet?
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Online Tracking: Did you know that when you browse the internet, your activities are monitored and stored without your knowledge?
The concern with the internet privacy is growing.
Understand how avoid tracking is crucial to protect our online security.
Main Reflections
- 70% of internet users look for tools like Privacy Badger to avoid tracking online.
- 80% of online advertisements are based on specific user interests.
- 90% routers have default security settings.
- Using VPNs can reduce tracking by up to 95%.
- Private browsers like Brave automatically block third-party trackers.
What is Online Tracking?
Online tracking is the collection of information about what people do on the internet.
Companies and advertisers use this technique to improve content and monitor what people do.
THE definition of online tracking includes various technologies such as cookies, IP addresses, and browser fingerprinting.
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Cookies are widely used, storing data about what we do on the internet.
About 99% of cookies are used for tracking or advertising.
This data helps e-commerce sites better understand what people are searching for, improving sales.
IP address is very important to understand web tracking.
It works like an ID on the internet, identifying devices and allowing monitoring.
This helps understand people's behavior and identify where they come from, helping with marketing.
Browser fingerprinting is also an advanced technique.
It collects data such as device model and operating system, accurately identifying unique visitors.
About 30% of digital platforms use this technique, while 70% of companies prefer cookies.
“Online tracking involves collecting data about users’ internet activities, including websites visited, searches performed, and clicks on advertisements.”
Web beacons, like the Facebook pixel, help track what people buy and improve advertising campaigns.
Canvas fingerprinting combines graphic and hardware data, making user identification even more accurate.
Tracking data collection can be very detailed.
About 80% of the information collected reveals sensitive personal data.
Therefore, it is important to take precautions, such as using VPNs, to protect our privacy.
Studies show that 25% of internet users use virtual private networks for this.
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Protecting Your Privacy with VPNs
VPNs are essential for protecting our online privacy.
They encrypt our connection and hide our IP address.
This makes it harder for third parties to track or intercept our data, offering more personal data security.
Brands like ExpressVPN and NordVPN are recommended for safe browsing.
THE use of VPN It also protects against risks on open Wi-Fi networks, such as those in hotels and restaurants.
Distrust of government spying grew with the NSA scandals and Edward Snowden's leaks.
This makes the use of VPN crucial to protect against surveillance.
Social networks, such as Facebook, have also improved their privacy practices following complaints.
VPNs allow you to simulate different locations, helping you access different prices online.
But it's crucial to choose a trustworthy VPN provider.
Avast SecureLine VPN, for example, doesn't log our visits and uses high-level encryption.
Supports one to five devices, protecting the whole family.
It is important to know that internet providers, websites and governments can detect the use of VPN.
But they can't track our specific online activities.
Therefore, choosing reliable VPN services is essential to protect our digital footprint.
Using Private Browsers
To use private browsers how Brave and Tor helps a lot in online security.
They block unwanted trackers and ads. They also hide the user's IP address.
Browsers store browsing history for a while.
But in private mode, this history is deleted as soon as the browser is closed.
Cookies are also deleted upon closing.
Some people think that incognito browsing hides everything.
But the truth is, online activity can be seen. Files downloaded in private mode need to be manually deleted.
Use a VPN with private browsers greatly improves security.
This is because a VPN hides the user's IP address. This is very useful when using public Wi-Fi.
Browser extensions can run in private mode. This is helpful if they're enabled beforehand.
Some solutions, like Dashlane, use encryption to protect passwords.
To use two-factor authentication also helps a lot. It makes browsing much safer.
With the increasing use of browsers, using private browsers is essential. This protects our privacy.
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Disable Cookies to Protect Your Privacy
You cookies are used by websites to store information about you.
This may affect your privacy. It's crucial to know that there are two types: first-party and third-party cookies.
First-party cookies are from the website you visit, while third-party cookies are from other websites and are used for tracking and advertising.
In 2021, 78% of Americans wanted more internet privacy.
One way to do this is to know how to block cookies of third parties.
In Chrome, you can allow or block these cookies. This is done in your browser settings.
Blocking third-party cookies means that all cookies from other websites are blocked.
This only doesn't happen if they are on the exceptions list.
Disabling cookies may prevent you from signing in to sites that use your Google Account.
Therefore, it's a good idea to delete cookies on public devices after use and clean up cookies monthly on personal devices.
Managing cookies and browsing data is essential for privacy.
Google plans to add a one-click opt-out button. This feature is already available in France and will be rolled out across Europe.
Online Tracking: Disable Location in Browsers
It is very important to protect our location privacy. This is because many browsers and apps want to know where we are at all times.
To avoid this, we can change the settings of each browser.
In Google Chrome, the location setting is in the content settings.
There, activate the option “do not allow sites to track your position”.
This helps reduce tracking.
In Microsoft Edge, Windows 10's privacy settings are key. Go to "Settings," then "Privacy," then "Location." There, turn off tracking.
In Firefox, the setup is a little different.
Type “about:config” in the address bar. Search for “geo.enabled” and change its value to “false.”
Opera also allows you to disable location in your privacy settings.
In Safari, Mac OS settings control location access.
It's good to know that services like Google Maps still collect data, even without location history.
To control this, go to myaccount.google.com/activitycontrols.
Thus, we protect our location privacy.
| Browser | Steps to Disable Location |
|---|---|
| Google Chrome | Settings > Privacy > Content Settings > Do not allow sites to track your location |
| Microsoft Edge | Settings > Privacy > Location |
| Firefox | “about:config” > “geo.enabled” > Change to “false” |
| Opera | Settings > Privacy |
| Safari | Preferences > Privacy |
Social Media Security Settings
Social networks like Facebook and Instagram have several options to protect our data.
Adjusting your privacy settings is essential for effective protection.
This way, we can control what we share and who sees our information.
To protect our data, we must review and change our privacy settings frequently.
The companies that manage these platforms change their privacy policies and features.
Therefore, it is important to disable geolocation in our posts and photos to avoid unwanted tracking.
Below, we present a comparison of privacy settings between the main social networks:
| Platform | Privacy Settings | Configuration Review | Geolocation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine-tune permissions | Regularly recommended | Can be disabled in posts | |
| Private accounts and follower restrictions | Regularly recommended | Can be disabled in photos | |
| Tweet visibility control | Regularly recommended | Can be controlled in settings | |
| Managing who can see your profile | Regularly recommended | N/A |
Using these tools and understanding the importance of privacy settings, we can improve our security on social networks.
This way, we avoid the unwanted dissemination of our personal data.
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Use of Anonymous Emails
The use of anonymous email services how ProtonMail and Cyber Atlantis helps a lot in identity protection online.
They encrypt your messages and are untrackable, keeping your conversations private.
This prevents third parties from seeing what you are writing.
Studies show that 100% of whistleblowers feel that anonymity is essential to protect their identity.
Furthermore, 70% of journalists say anonymity is crucial to their investigations.
Identity protection is a major concern, with 80% of internet users fearing loss of privacy.
The services of anonymous emails offer things like automatic message destruction.
This is possible in 60% of the services.
They also encrypt everything end-to-end, ensuring that only those who should see the message can.
See the differences and advantages of the main anonymous email providers:
| Provider | Free Storage | Paid Storage | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| ProtonMail | 500MB | Up to 5GB | Encryption, Aliases, Do Not Track Policy |
| Tutanota | 1GB | Up to 1TB | Encryption, Push Notifications, Encrypted Calendar |
| Mailfence | 500MB | Up to 50GB | Digital Signatures, OpenPGP, Calendar |
| Private Mail | N/A | Up to 10GB Local + 10GB Coud | Encryption, Aliases, Enterprise Synchronization |
| Hushmail | N/A | 10GB | Unlimited Aliases, Encryption, Secure Forms |
Choosing a provider anonymous email services must consider your needs.
This includes storage, extra features and identity protection that you are looking for.
Router Security Settings
It is very important to protect your router's security to have a secure network at home.
An essential step is to change the router name and password.
Many routers have easy-to-guess passwords.
It is recommended to use strong passwords with at least 16 characters.
These passwords must contain uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
Changing these passwords every six months also helps a lot.
Check if the router is using WPA2 encryption or WPA3.
These options are important to protect against attacks.
Many routers have these options turned off by default, so you need to manually enable them.
Another important step is to turn off remote access to the router.
Keeping your router's firmware up to date helps reduce the risk of malware.
Enabling the right security options can protect against DoS attacks very effectively.
Turning off ports and services that are not used also helps a lot.
This can prevent 80% attacks. Ports like Telnet and FTP are common targets for hackers.
| Doors | Services |
|---|---|
| 21 | FTP (File Transfer Protocol) |
| 22 | SSH (Secure Shell) |
| 23 | Telnet |
| 80, 443 | HTTP and HTTPS |
| 139, 445 | SAMBA |
Disabling ports and services that are not used is very effective.
This is especially true for ports like Telnet and FTP.
Keep the router security protects our home network from unauthorized access and risks.
Online Tracking: Two-Factor Authentication
THE two-factor authentication (2FA) brings more security.
It requires a password and another form of verification, such as a code on your phone. This helps protect our online accounts from unauthorized access.
Today, 2FA is used in 80% of online services.
This includes email, banking, and social media. This measure already goes a long way toward protecting our personal data.
The benefits are clear: 90% of users feel more secure with 2FA. Research shows it can reduce the risk of hacks by up to 99.9%.
2FA is very effective against malicious attempts.
About 601% of cybercriminals give up when they find 2FA enabled. This provides strong protection against attacks.
In addition to protecting our data, 2FA helps businesses comply with security regulations. This can reduce operational costs by up to 30%.
However, 2FA also presents challenges. 45% of users have difficulty accessing their accounts because of additional devices.
And 50% have trouble recovering their accounts if they lose their means of verification.
To overcome these problems, 75% services offer several forms of authentication.
This includes SMS, apps, and biometrics. These options help make the user experience more secure and convenient.
2FA adoption is growing 20% per year among companies with sensitive data.
This shows a positive trend towards greater security across all sectors.
2FA not only protects our accounts, but also provides an extra layer of security, especially when passwords are compromised.
Safe Browsing with Tor
THE Tor browser is one of the safest ways to browse the internet.
It uses a network of volunteer servers to protect your identity.
This creates multiple layers of security, making it difficult to identify who is browsing.
A great benefit of Tor browser is the automatic blocking of dangerous plugins.
Plugins like Flash and Quicktime can reveal your IP address.
Additionally, forced HTTPS mode secures your connection, preventing website vulnerabilities.
But it's crucial to know that Tor doesn't protect all of your internet traffic.
Only applications configured to use Tor are protected.
For example, BitTorrent can expose your real IP as it bypasses proxy settings.
Avoiding opening downloaded documents with external applications is an important tip.
This is because these documents can reveal your IP address.
To share files securely, use tools like OnionShare.
For improved security, use Tor bridges.
They help hide your connection and reduce the risk of being observed.
Tor's structure, with multiple nodes and encryption, offers strong protection against tracking.
THE Tor browser also resets your browsing history and cookies when you close.
This ensures that nothing is recorded, preventing tracking and protecting against psychosocial profiling.
Finally, Tor allows you to access content blocked in various parts of the world.
It is essential to bypass censorship in countries like Iran and China.
Browsing with Tor is one of the best ways to keep your browsing safe and anonymous.
Online Tracking: Conclusion
Protecting your privacy online is very important these days.
Internet tracking is becoming widespread.
In this article, we'll cover several ways to protect yourself, including using VPNs and private browsers.
Additionally, we talk about the importance of disabling cookies and controlling browser location.
These actions help keep your activities and personal data safe online.
We also discussed about two-factor authentication and the use of Tor.
And we talked about tracking tools like Google Analytics. This highlights the importance of knowing how our data is collected.
Adopting these tips can be very beneficial in protecting our privacy online.
THE internet privacy is a big concern today.
But, by following the right tips, we can navigate more safely.
It is essential to stay informed about new technologies.
This way, we can keep the internet a safe and private place for everyone.
