Online security has become one of the most talked-about topics. As an Internet user, you must ensure that you stay private and secure online at all times. Large corporations could also be snooping on your data for the purpose of serving you with targeted ads. In addition, governments are increasingly passing restrictive Internet-use laws, which could greatly limit your online freedom. Here are some of the tactics that you can use to maintain your online privacy.Use of VPNs
Anyone who takes his/her online privacy seriously is likely to use Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) when browsing. VPN software encrypts your data pockets into a secure tunnel, thus guaranteeing a secure connection between your device and a remote VPN server. Therefore, all the data that is being transmitted via your network will remain invisible to third parties.Besides protecting your privacy, VPNs shield you from hackers since it will be extremely difficult for them to track your IP address and hack your network. In addition, VPNs guarantee you an unrestricted browsing experience and unlimited access to information.
Use of Pseudo Accounts
You can also stay anonymous online by simply pretending to be someone else. It is both advisable and practical to adopt pseudo names on some sites as a way of preventing identity theft or unwarranted intrusion. There are several online tools that can help you come up with life-like pseudonyms, personal information, and even fake postal and ZIP codes.Besides this, you should consider using a different name, especially on social media platforms. You do not need to provide your actual name on sites such as Facebook or Twitter, more so if you think that it may lead to an unwarranted intrusion into your private life. The use of other names other than your own helps you shield your real identity.
Use of Disposable Email Addresses
Many apps and websites require you to sign up with a valid email address before accessing their products and services. Nonetheless, you may end up getting pestered with annoying marketing emails. This is an intrusion into your privacy and can be sidestepped by using disposable email addresses whenever you subscribe to apps or websites.The disposable email addresses will enable you to access apps and websites without ever revealing your true identity. There are numerous disposable email services to choose from including Mailinator and MailDrop.
Manage and Block Trackers
Most websites that you visit often track your online activity with the objective of determining your browsing habits. This is unethical since you will definitely end up being served with unwanted ads. The trackers that sites use are often invisible. In addition, it is hard to tell when you are being tracked by a website.You can maintain your anonymity by blocking and managing such trackers with browser extensions, for instance, Ghostery. These extensions reveal the trackers that websites use. Afterwards, you can take control of the trackers by deciding which ones are comfortable to you and which ones you would like to block.
Use Encrypted Email
Contrary to what you may have been made to believe, popular email services such as Yahoo and Gmail are not that privacy-oriented. You will still be served ads and other unnecessary emails once you sign up for these email services. This attests to the fact that they aren’t particularly privacy-friendly. To avoid this, consider email service providers that do not log users’ IP addresses or reveal their data. Keeping your emails encrypted goes a long way in ensuring your online anonymity. You can learn how to send anonymous emails here.Proxy Servers
Proxy servers are basically computers that can be used to process your online activity. These computers act as intermediaries between your device and the Internet. Using a proxy server is a great way of maintaining your online privacy since it hides your IP address alongside its own.If the proxy is located in a different country from your own, you will be able to easily fool trackers and websites into thinking that you are in a different location. This prevents you from being targeted with ads thus ensuring a private browsing experience.
Alternative Search Engines and Browsers
Most people use Google whenever they are searching for something online. We cannot deny the fact that the search engine is accurate, efficient, and fast. Nonetheless, Google’s search system is personalized in such a way that it relies on your search history rather than the keywords that you are currently typing in. To avoid this intrusion, you should turn off the personalized search system that Google uses. Besides this, consider alternative search engines such as DuckDuckGo.It is equally advisable to use alternative browsers apart from popular ones such as Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Firefox. These browsers may not be as secure as you might think since they log your data. To have a more guarded web browsing experience, you should try out browsers such as Dooble and Comodo Dragon since they are privacy-focused.
