A digital all-seeing eye

In the digital age, privacy is becoming an increasingly scarce commodity. Whether you’re shopping online, browsing social media, or even just checking the news, your actions are monitored, collected, and analyzed. Often, this data is used to create targeted advertising, but it can also be exploited maliciously. With online privacy steadily dwindling, it is essential to take conscious steps to protect your digital footprint. Here are some strategies you can employ to fortify your online privacy.

Understand Privacy Policies

Yes, those things you never read and click ‘agree’ on. Before you can protect your privacy, you need to understand what you’re protecting it from. Make it a habit to read and understand the privacy policies of the platforms you use. These policies outline how your data is collected, used, and protected. If a platform’s privacy policy makes you uncomfortable, consider seeking alternatives that respect user data.

Use Privacy-Enhancing Tools

A wide array of tools exist that can safeguard your online privacy. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) can encrypt your internet connection, making your online activities more challenging to track. Privacy-focused browsers and search engines like DuckDuckGo or Tor can offer another layer of protection.

Another noteworthy tool is Freenet, a peer-to-peer platform for censorship-resistant communication and publishing. Freenet provides anonymity by bouncing your data through several nodes in the Freenet network, making it difficult to determine who is requesting or supplying information.

However, caution should be exercised with tools that are not opensource and advertise their services as “free”. Often, these “free” VPN services may sell your data to recoup their costs. It’s crucial to perform thorough research and choose a reliable provider.

Be Wary of Social Media

Social media platforms are notorious for collecting vast amounts of personal data. It’s prudent to limit the amount of information you share on these platforms and adjust privacy settings to limit who can view your profile and posts. Be particularly cautious about sharing sensitive information, such as your location, date of birth, or financial details.

Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

While 2FA is more about security than privacy, the two are closely related. 2FA can prevent unauthorized access to your accounts, thereby protecting any personal information those accounts may hold. It typically involves a combination of something you know (like a password) and something you have (like a physical token or a phone). We recommend installing Authy on your phone, protecting it with biometrics and using it to secure any accounts that supports it.

Use Secure and Unique Passwords

Avoid using easily guessable passwords like “123456” or “password”. Instead, use a password manager to generate and store complex, unique passwords for each of your online accounts. This not only increases your security but also protects your privacy by making it harder for anyone to gain unauthorized access to your accounts. If a website is breached, the attackers get a password that only works for this site. Now imagine you are using the same password everywhere and they also have your email. How much of your digital life is at risk? Here we strongly recommend Bitwarden (an opensource tool), since many commercial services have had security breaches lately…

Limit Online Tracking

Advertisers commonly use cookies to track your online activity and create targeted advertising. To limit this, consider using ad-blocking extensions (uBlock Origin and Privacy Badger are a good start) and regularly clearing your browser cookies (Cookie Autodelete is a must). In addition, most modern browsers have a “Do Not Track” option, which can send a request to websites to not track your browsing behavior.

Also, and it should go without saying, do not use a browser that actively spies on you. Yes, that one. Give Firefox a go, for a change.

Watch Out for Phishing Attempts

Be vigilant about emails, messages, and websites that ask for personal information. Phishing attacks often masquerade as trustworthy entities to trick you into revealing sensitive data, like passwords, answers to security questions or credit card numbers.

Protect Your Email Privacy

Use a secure email provider that values privacy. Avoid sending sensitive information via email whenever possible. When you must, consider using encryption. Services like ProtonMail offer end-to-end encryption and don’t track your IP address.

Conclusion

Preserving our online privacy isn’t just a one-time activity; it’s a constant commitment. The digital landscape is ever-changing, and new threats emerge regularly. Hence, staying informed about the latest privacy risks and protective measures is vital. By employing the strategies outlined above, you’ll be well on your way to safeguarding your online privacy in this era of dwindling digital anonymity.