Essential Tips for Protecting Your Privacy On the Internet

We live in a digital age during which technology is becoming more and more prevalent in our daily lives. Take a moment and think about how many things you use technology for every day.

Depending on your transportation situation, you may rely on an app to book a ride to work every morning and another ride home from work in the afternoon. If you don’t feel like cooking dinner, you probably use another app to order something and have it delivered to your house.

While you’re sitting around and enjoying your evening, you may use a streaming service to binge-watch a show or catch up on movies that you didn’t make it to the theater to see.

Those aren’t the only examples of technology in your daily life, either.

Do you shop online? Whether you only buy things occasionally, or you have your weekly grocery order delivered to your door, you use technology to shop. Additionally, you may have most of your bills set up through online payment options.

Finally, think about your social media use. Whether you’re one of the millions of people who use at least three social media platforms, or you only have one that you use to stay connected with friends and family, there is information about you available on the web.

What Does All of This Mean?

It means that you have a wealth of private information floating around on the internet. In most cases, nothing bad happens when people have personal info online.

However, there are plenty of people all around the world who are just looking for an opportunity to access the information of unknowing individuals to use for monetary gain or nefarious purposes.

With this in mind, cybersecurity has become more important than it’s ever been. Hackers and scammers know how to take your information and use it for any number of illegal purposes that range from claiming your annual income tax return to buying homes in your name.

While these may be the most extreme cases of online privacy gone wrong, the fact remains that you need to keep your data safe while you’re online. Fortunately, we have some tips that can help anyone who is looking for help when it comes to protecting privacy online.

Use Strong Passwords

All of your online accounts have one thing in common: they require you to set a password. Whether it’s your Netflix account or your online banking, you have to have a password in place to access your information.

Unfortunately, many people use passwords that are too easy for people to figure out, which opens the door for a number of data protection problems.

Avoid using obvious choices for your passwords. Things like the names of your pets or your children are typically where scammers start when trying to access your private info.

Also, don’t use obvious dates like your birthday, anniversary, or your child’s birthday when you put numbers in a password. Since it’s easy to figure out these details, mainly because of social media, protecting your private information with these words or numbers is a recipe for disaster.

Cybersecurity experts recommend passwords that are at least 12 characters long. They also say that you should use a combination of upper-case letters, lower-case letters, numbers, and special symbols for maximum data protection. If you’re worried about remembering complex passwords, consider using a password management program or app.

Also, you should avoid using the same password for multiple platforms. If you use the same password, someone who gets access to your private info can quickly access all of your accounts, which is a data protection nightmare.

Be Cautious When Using Public Wi-Fi

Most of us use public wi-fi from time to time. Whether you’re at the coffee shop while you get some work done, or you’re using your streaming service of choice while you’re on a trip out of town, connecting to the wireless network in public places can potentially open up your information to anyone, including those who aren’t even in the same place.

This is not some sort of scare tactic to try to get you to never use public wi-fi networks. Most of them have some security measures in place, but when you’re protecting sensitive information online, it’s important that you consider all the risks that you face.

With this in mind, consider using a VPN when using the internet in public locations. By encrypting your internet traffic, it becomes virtually impossible for hackers to intercept your data.

It’s also a good idea to disable file sharing when you’re on public wi-fi. This ensures that other people on the same network can’t access your private files. This is especially important when you’re in a crowded location where multiple people are online.

Use Two-Factor Authentication

Using two-factor authentication (2FA) is a great way to help you put an added layer between your personal data and hackers when you’re online. This security measure requires you to use your password plus another form of identification before accessing an account.

A lot of websites and apps use facial recognition or thumbprint technology to serve as a second factor. This is largely considered the most effective type of data security.

If you’re using a laptop that doesn’t utilize those options, you can still turn on 2FA on your device.

In most cases, online platforms that you’re trying to access will send a text message to your phone after you enter your password. This text message usually has a four- or six-digit code that you’ll need to input before you can be completely logged in.

Some people skip over 2FA in the name of convenience, but doing so opens you up to a number of potential data breaches. Take the extra couple of seconds necessary and put another layer of security on your data.

Think of it as locking your doorknob and the deadbolt on the door to your home. It’s worth one extra turn (or click in the case of technology) to fully protect yourself.

Limit Your Social Media Sharing

Social media platforms are among the most popular tools that hackers use to get access to personal information.

While no one is saying that you shouldn’t post pictures and special moments that you want to share with friends and family, oversharing your personal information on social media can make it easier for people who want to steal your identity.

Regularly review your privacy settings on all of your social media accounts. While it’s normal for people who use social media for business purposes to make their profiles readily available to the public, consider locking down your private accounts so only people you know can see what you’re posting.

While there are still tech-savvy hackers out there who can work their way around these restrictions, tightening up your social media security is a powerful way to deter most threats.

Additionally, be aware of just how much of your life you’re putting online. While we’ve largely focused on personal data and how that data can be breached, there are some real-life applications to consider. Some people post pictures and videos of their vacations in real time.

While it’s nice to share your experiences with the people you love, advertising that your home is empty is a great way to let thieves know that you’re not home. Protecting your personal information doesn’t only apply to your passwords and bank accounts. It also includes your personal safety and security.

You should also be careful about what third-party apps you allow to access your social media platforms. Some games and other apps request access to your social media contacts and other information when you download them.

Be careful about which apps you give access to your platforms as they’re often used by hackers to get into your accounts.

Staying Safe: It’s Easier Than You Think

Ultimately, staying safe online and keeping your private information private is much easier than many people think. You don’t need to be a cybersecurity expert to keep your data out of the hands of hackers.

Simply following a few steps and adding as many layers of data protection as possible is a great way to keep yourself safe while you navigate the ever-changing technological landscape that we’re all part of.