When everything on the Internet suddenly becomes connected with other personal data about us, it forms a unique profile which can later be traced, and in that regards, the dilemma of online privacy is born. However, the issues of privacy and protection of personal data only start when personal data is connected with other personal data. Anytime you type in personal data on a search engine or enter it into a comment box on a web site, you are leaving a footprint on the web. The footprint of your data on the Internet cannot be avoided.
However, there is a way to safeguard your information. You can use Tor software, which helps you to surf the web using an onion network, essentially a network of tunnels where only you and authorized parties (calling relay servers) are allowed in. When data is sent through the Tor tunnels, the information becomes encrypted and this encryption stops anyone from reading the data or any other party from discovering what you have put on the internet. This makes Tor an excellent privacy tool.
However, even with Tor, there are some problems. Some unscrupulous people can use Tor to send you Spam. In other words, they create a network of sites designed to try and trick you into revealing sensitive data, such as passwords or other financial data. This data storage can lead to identity theft, which is a serious criminal offense with severe penalties.
There are other ways to avoid having your privacy invaded. One solution is to use strong passwords for your data storage and email accounts. Strong passwords mean that if someone steals your password, they cannot access the data. Using a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters as passwords is also strongly recommended, as even numbers can be used as a password.
You also need to keep your data up-to-date. When you are shopping online, check the websites of the companies who are offering you the data, and check for known security vulnerabilities. If you are buying something online, ask the retailer if there is a way to get a money back guarantee. This way, you will not be stuck with a product that you bought and cannot return. Most reputed online stores offer money back guarantees, so you can safely buy what you want without worrying about whether or not you can trust the site’s security.
You can also keep your privacy on the internet by never installing anything on your computer that you do not want tracked. This includes installing software that monitors your activity. If you really do want to track software installed, you could at the very least choose one that requires your consent beforehand. Most pop-up ads require the user to accept installation before the ad shows. You might not think that this is a big deal, but it does break the trust between you and the advertiser and can result in your privacy on the internet being violated.
Another way to protect your privacy on the internet is to use burner programs when you are online. These programs prevent someone from seeing the contents of your computer while you are away from it. However, burner programs are not foolproof. If you use burner software, remember to use it only when you really need to be away from your computer.
Finally, make sure that you never give out your personal information over the internet. Many sites have a privacy policy stating that they will store your account information on their database. If you ever need to look up someone’s email address or other details, you will probably have to give this person permission in order to access your information. Do not give this person permission. This will prevent you from having to deal with a lot of privacy on the internet issues. In addition, you should make sure that you change passwords regularly and make sure that your security software is up-to-date to avoid viruses from attacking your computer.