Device settings that can boost your digital privacy
In today’s world, a person’s data is worth more than you expect. Brands and websites value such insights since they can help focus their efforts on prospective customers. It is a part of the plan to display relevant ads to potential customers in most cases.
However, users are at a disadvantage, and they can feel that their privacy is invaded daily. After all, all moves users make are recorded, and it can influence their experience and even real life in the long run.
According to recent statistics from DataProt, only 22% of Americans read a company’s privacy policy before agreeing to it. These privacy policies explain precisely how the company can use your data, often sharing it with third parties without your consent. Many popular apps such as Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, and YouTube use such data to target relevant ads.
While the situation seems quite grim, there are specific measures you can utilize to take back your internet privacy.
Limiting access to personal data
Let’s start with protecting the storage first. The files in your phone, computer, and cloud may contain sensitive information that you don’t want out in the open. Allowing shady entities access to your information can result in ransomware or data leaks.
You can limit access to your storage data by managing the permissions of each app or website. You can go to the “Privacy” tab in “Settings” for Android devices. Tap on “Permission management,” and you can observe which apps have access to your data. You can also disable the use of external peripherals such as the camera and microphone.
For Apple devices, you need to go to the “Privacy” section of the “Settings” app. From here, you can select the app to see whether it has access to your phone storage.
In the case of web browsers, you can check the top tab to see whether it can access files or apps on your device. In the “Privacy and Security” section in “Settings,” you can disable it. Another excellent method is to use browsers with in-built privacy and ad-blocking features. Brave and Tor are a couple of proven options.
Restricting location tracking
Today, every smartphone comes with a GPS that helps you find the route to any location. It also possesses a vulnerability that lets certain apps track your whereabouts, which can prove dangerous if this information falls into the wrong hands.
Android phone users can manage the location settings for any app in the “App location permissions” section under “Locations.” For iOS devices, the same applies to the “Locations” section under “Privacy.”
Most web browsers often have their location settings under “Site Settings.” You can observe which websites can track your device’s exact position, even when not accessing them. Don’t be afraid of limited services. If any website needs your location for any service, they will surely ask again for permission.
Deleting browsing history and cookies
Your browsing history tells a lot about your behavior, spending habits, and preferences. And corporations use that data to a questionable extent. Furthermore, you can’t even take any legal recourse against most of them since you probably accepted their privacy or cookies policy which allowed them to track your every move on their website.
Thankfully, Google has taken a few steps in auto-deleting all your browsing and cookies data after a designated period. Under the “Privacy and Personalization” tab in the “Manage Your Account” section, you can enable it.
If you want to delete the data manually, you can do the same from the “Data and Privacy” tab. Moreover, this section lets you turn off ad personalization so that Google doesn’t share your data with advertisers.
For iPhones and iPads, the process is more complicated. The iOS 15.2 update came with a Privacy Report function. If you turn it on for a week or two, it generates a report that shows you which apps are collecting data from your online activities.
Further steps to reinforce your digital privacy
While all the previous methods effectively increase your online privacy, they can still let a few malicious elements slip through. You can’t always rely on your device settings. Sometimes, you need help from external sources and tools.
For instance, you can block location tracking on your phone. However, your IP address is an identifier that can somewhat accurately pinpoint your location as well. If you look what is your IP, you will see that it reveals your location, internet service provider, ZIP code, and more.
Thus, using tools like Virtual Private Networks helps mask this identifier. For example, you can reroute your internet traffic through remote servers in a distant location. Then, your IP address will no longer reflect your accurate whereabouts.
Lastly, the best method to ensure your data privacy is to take your time. Go through the privacy and cookies settings whenever you visit any new website or download any app. You may accept them in a hurry to get along, but studying and modifying the preferences can help secure your private information.
Conclusion
Protecting your privacy online is a tedious yet necessary process. You might not think of it much in terms of advertising, but black hats can also use your data for illegal impersonation and scam purposes. Information is a much greater weapon than you expect. Therefore, keeping your cyber life as private as possible shall remain paramount for years to come.
