Online privacy means that you retain control over your data. This means you know what information about you is publicly accessible and what others can learn about you online. There are few arguments against protecting online privacy, but many more in favor.
Why Is Online Privacy Important?
Online privacy is so important because losing it threatens your autonomy. Imagine sending a friend a picture from your last party, where you drank a little too much. If that friend posts the photo online, everyone can see you with messy hair and a beer bottle in your hand, showing off your karaoke skills. Do you want your next potential employer to know about your party excesses?
Informational privacy is so important because you should decide for yourself what others know about you. If all sorts of private details about you are circulating online, it’s a bit like walking down the street in shorts. If you don’t know what information is known about you, you always have to expect to be walking around in your swim trunks instead of your jacket.
How Is Your Personal Data Used on the Internet?
When you search Google for green sneakers, the best trekking routes in the Alps, or new PC games, it doesn’t go unnoticed. Google remembers your preferences to display targeted ads. It’s very similar to Facebook. The idea is that the more relevant the ad, the more likely you are to buy—and the more money Facebook and Google make.
When you put something online, others can see it depending on your privacy settings. Even if you take down a post or some personal info, others can still find it elsewhere online. Some websites and other companies might be collecting, storing, or sharing the information you put online without you even realizing it. This makes it really tough to get rid of something once it’s out there. So, what’s the best way to keep your private stuff safe online?
Tips to Protect Your Online Privacy and Personal Data
Your data belongs to you. You can do a lot to protect your privacy online. To help you do so, we’ve compiled some tips for handling your personal data smartly on the internet.
1. Protect Your Privacy on Social Media
Social media is inherently about self-expression—protecting privacy is therefore particularly important. Many services offer privacy options that provide several possibilities.
Conceal Your Identity
Use a pseudonym instead of your real name if possible, and create a separate email address for your social media account. You can also make your contact details invisible in your profile.
Limit Your Profile Visibility
On many platforms, you can prevent Google from crawling your profile. This way, it won’t appear in the tech giant’s search results. You can also control who can see general information about your profile and your posts. Specify who can access your birthdate, education, or relationship status.
If you’ve been using the social media platform for a long time, it can also be worthwhile to review older posts and hide them if necessary. For future posts, you can, for example, specify that only your friends can see them.
Take Action Against Copyright Infringement
The internet is not a lawless space—data protection is protected by laws and regulations in many countries. Has a photo of you been published without your consent? Legal violations of this kind are common on Facebook and similar platforms. Contact the person who uploaded your image and demand its removal. If you receive no response, contact the platform operator.
2. Limit the Personal Information You Share Online
If you want to share something on Facebook or other social media, ask yourself if you really want to disclose that information. And generally be stingy with your data: When you register on a website, only provide the bare minimum. Use an email address that doesn’t reveal your identity. This is especially useful if you like to participate in discussions on blogs.
What data you shouldn’t publish depends somewhat on your personal preferences. As a rule, you should not post your address, phone number, email address, or any passwords and account numbers on the internet.
3. Protect Your Personal Data From Phishing and Online Data Theft
You might occasionally receive an email from a sender that appears to be from your bank, eBay, or another well-known company. It’s just odd that you’re being asked for your banking or login details via email. Never fall for such phishing emails! You should also delete spam emails immediately without replying. Don’t open unexpected or suspicious email attachments, as they may contain malware that can infect your device.
Also Read: Cybersecurity: A Key Player For The Present And Future Of Business
4. Delete Your Browser History and Manage Cookies
Your browser saves the websites you visit. To remove this data in Google Chrome, for example, first click on the three-dot menu, then on “More tools,” and then on “Clear browsing data.” In Mozilla Firefox, you also go to Settings, then to the “Privacy and security” section. In the “Cookies and site data” section, you’ll find the “Clear data” button.
You can also configure your browser to prevent it from saving cookies in the future. Your browser will then not remember which websites you’ve already visited. However, there’s a catch: some websites will refuse their services if cookies are blocked. And sometimes, personalized advertising is quite convenient.
Also Read: Speed Up Google Chrome In Android Mobiles
5. Request the Removal of Personal Data From the Internet
If you enter your name into a search engine and find data you don’t like, you can have it removed. First, contact the website operator. If the website removes the data, it may eventually disappear from Google search results, although outdated results may remain temporarily. If the operator doesn’t respond, you can submit a removal request to Google.
6. Find Out What Personal Data Companies Have Collected About You
You have the right to know what data companies and authorities have collected about you, where the information comes from, to whom it has been passed on, and why it is stored.
For example, if you’ve consciously decided against Facebook, but many of your friends are on the platform, it may have indirectly gained access to your data. Many users transfer their address books to make it easier to find acquaintances. You can therefore inquire whether such data about you is stored on Facebook and, if so, have it deleted.
7. Keep Your Software and Browser Updated
Regular updates are important to ensure your software is always up to date. Updates close security gaps, making it harder for intruders to access the data on your laptop. Your browser should also always be up to date.
Conclusion: Make Online Privacy a Priority
Protecting your online privacy is crucial because digitalization is generating ever-increasing amounts of data. While this data is essential for developing new products and technologies, it also needs to be securely stored. Be aware of its value; it’s the currency of the future!
