How to protect yourself online
Of course, faced with such a service, it becomes stressful – because all the information about you, your computer and your location is in plain sight. And we thought that everything we do on the Internet, what sites we visit, etc., is hidden or anonymous. No, of course not. Moreover, there is no private access to the World Wide Web. Even if you get off the Internet and go to a phone with buttons. But you are unlikely to sacrifice that level of comfort. In order to keep yourself as safe as possible from prying eyes, there are ways – just follow these tips:
- Do not apply for discount cards, which the store offers with any purchase. Yes, of course, you will remain without beneficial promotions and will not save a certain amount of money, but your data will not leak to an unknown destination. Remember once and for all – discount cards are issued to gain access to your personal data, not to please you with another discount.
- Remove accounts from all social media. If you don’t have that option, keep the main one, but delete all personal information and delete the photo by changing it to a regular image.
You probably know why you shouldn’t post your stories with a photo and geolocation. Well simply because you can get robbed, fired, convicted for just a simple post on your page. Otherwise, insurance companies and banks are looking into your accounts and there is a chance of denial of credit or increased interest if the information on the site turns out to be suspicious.
- Turn off automatic Wi-Fi searches on your phone. There are companies that place routers around town that read your phone’s MAC address to access your current location and movements. This is done to read your information and resell it to third parties.
- Do not use a debit or credit card to pay for items in stores. Withdraw cash and pay. When you make a payment, the bank will systematize data about your purchases, movements, and can resell it to anyone if necessary.
- Put a ban on access to your coordinates, contacts, personal data in the smartphone settings.
- Install a VPN so your ISP can’t track you. Paid ones are better, as free ones make the mistake of accessing your data and reselling x.
- Install an ad blocker that blocks cookies and other data about your Internet browsing.
And most importantly, before you sign up for any website, app, or purchase, think about why they need your personal information. Your data belongs only to you. Take care of them.