Protecting your privacy online is no easy task. If you are not careful, companies can track your every move and use that information to make money off of you. From the websites you visit the searches you do, there are many ways for your data to be exposed.
1. Use a VPN or Tor Browser when on public networks
Public networks are not safe for personal information. Hackers can easily intercept your data if it is not adequately protected, whether you’re at a coffee shop or airport.
Make sure to use a VPN or Tor Browser when on public networks as they encrypt all of your online activity and hide the fact that you are using an internet connection from others. Public networks should only be used when connected to a VPN or Tor Browser to avoid exposing your personal information.
2. Encrypt your emails
There are many different ways that hackers can get access to your accounts, and one of the easiest is by hacking into your email account. If you encrypt it, they won’t be able to read or change any information in there without having your password, making them much less likely to try and go through all this trouble.
Suppose you don’t have an encryption option available. In that case, another great way to keep your emails safe is by using a separate email address for sensitive data such as passwords and bank information. This will make it much harder for hackers trying to get access because they can’t know whether or not you’re using that account unless they manage to break into your main one first.
3. Use a password manager
Using the same password for each of your online accounts is extremely dangerous. If hackers get into one account, they can easily access them using that same login information. However, if you use different passwords and store them in a secure place, such as a password manager app or an encrypted file on your computer, it will be much more difficult for hackers to get into your accounts.
Password managers are helpful because they store all of your passwords in one place and because you can generate strong and unique passwords using them. They come with the ability to autofill information on websites, which is very convenient if you don’t want to put in all that effort to remember your passwords.
Using a password manager is one of the best ways to protect yourself online and keep your accounts secure. It will also help you in all other aspects of life, such as when it comes to tax season or buying presents on others’ birthdays.
4. Ditch the social media accounts (if possible)
Social media accounts are notorious for getting hacked. If you’re not careful, hackers can quickly access your personal information through social media apps such as Facebook and Twitter. Even if they don’t hack into those specific sites, their goal is still to get as much of your data as possible so that they can sell it to marketers.
If you’re looking for a way to protect your online privacy, removing social media apps from your phone is very helpful. It will help stop hackers and cut down on distractions, and make you more efficient with using the internet. There are many other benefits, such as staying away from inappropriate content and not wasting time.
If you’re having trouble letting go of social media, then try using a browser extension that will remove all your notifications and pointless posts that clog up your feed. It can also hide ads on websites to avoid seeing any content that is not relevant to what you are looking for.
5. Use different usernames and emails
It is easy to get into the habit of using the same username every time you sign up for something. However, this can be extremely dangerous if hackers get a hold of that login information because they will have free access to all your accounts even without cracking your password. Using different usernames each time you sign up for something is the best way to protect your privacy.
Another thing that many people don’t realize can cause them problems is using their email address or even just including it in their username, especially on social media accounts. Hackers usually search usernames and emails online, so if they find one match, then there’s a good chance that they will be able to access your other accounts.
If you want to keep yourself safe and protect your privacy, consider using different usernames and emails each time you sign up for something. It doesn’t have to be complicated; in fact, it can make the process of signing up faster once you get used to it.
6. Improve your password strength
It is essential to have strong passwords for every account because the stronger they are, the harder it will be for hackers to break in. If you use weak passwords such as “password” or even something more complex but still not that hard to guess like “passw0rd”, then there’s a good chance that hackers can get into your accounts just by using a dictionary attack.
Having solid passwords will keep you safe online, so it is vital to make them challenging but not impossible for hackers to break in. One way that you can do this is by changing up the words and numbers, adding symbols or capital letters, switching out certain letters with similar ones (such as “b” and “d”), etc.
If you are having trouble coming up with strong passwords, then many helpful tools online can help make them for you. These include LastPass or Password Generator Pro, which both have great reviews on the app store. There are also many other password management apps available, so it’s worth looking around before settling on one.
Using strong passwords for all your accounts is the best way to keep yourself safe online, so it’s essential to have them difficult enough that hackers can’t break in. There are many helpful tools available to help you create and manage those complex but easy-to-remember passwords, so try using some of them if you’re having trouble coming up with them yourself.
7. Use two-factor authentication
You might be surprised to know that many websites still don’t offer any form of protection for your account. This means that if hackers somehow gain access, they can do whatever they want with it – even delete or change the information you wouldn’t like.
Many companies are finally waking up and realizing the need to protect their customers’ accounts, so many now offer two-factor authentication. This is a much more secure option than just using passwords, and it can be set up very quickly, even on your phone, if you have the right app installed.
Two-factor authentication is a great way to keep yourself safe, so make sure you check whether or not the websites and apps you use have this extra protection option available before signing up.