Online Privacy And Security
It’s easy to assume that your personal information is safe, secure, and private. Yet far more of it may appear online than you realize. The results can be surprising.
Search for yourself in the Pipl People Search Directory. You may find your name and social media profiles, along with details such as your parents’ names, address, or telephone number.
Pipl isn’t a private database or secret hacker site. It collects publicly available online data that businesses and advertisers may want to use. This kind of data mining is legal, and much of the information originates from material people post online themselves.
What is Online Privacy?
Online privacy is your ability to control what personal information you disclose on the internet and how others collect, use, or share it. That includes protecting sensitive data such as financial details, health records, and private communications.
Data Breaches and Password Leaks
Data breaches continue to affect businesses and the people who trust them with personal information. A single incident can expose account details, passwords, and other sensitive records, making data theft and loss a serious online privacy concern.
What are Data Breaches?
A data breach occurs when someone gains unauthorized access to sensitive or confidential information. Hacking, phishing, and malware are common causes. When an organization is breached, its customers’ personal data may be exposed, creating privacy risks and possible legal consequences.
How to Protect Against Data Breaches
Limit the damage a breach can cause by using a strong, unique password for every account and enabling Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) wherever it’s available. Watch your accounts for suspicious activity and report unauthorized access promptly. Treat unexpected links and attachments with caution, use reputable antivirus software, and install operating system and application security updates as they become available.
Data breaches and password leaks have struck some of the biggest companies.
Major incidents show how security failures can expose millions of personal records:
- • Amazon U.S. FTC recommended lawsuit against Amazon over privacy breaches at Ring
- • Instagram Instagram Data Breaches: Full Timeline Through 2023
- • Home Depot Home Depot Data Breach, How Did it Happen
- • T-Mobile T-Mobile breached by hackers as 37 million customers impacted
- • Marriott Marriott Reveals Breach That Exposed Data of Up to 5.2 Million Customers
- • Target Target estimates breach affected up to 110 million
- • Yahoo The Hacked & the Hacker-for-Hire: Lessons from the Yahoo Data Breaches
- • Morgan Stanley Morgan Stanley to pay $35M after hard drives with 15M customers’ personal data turn up in auction
- • Equifax Equifax data breach FAQ: What happened, who was affected, what was the impact?
- • Facebook After Data Breach Exposes 530 Million, Facebook Says It Will Not Notify Users
If you use online accounts, there’s a chance that information associated with one of them has appeared in a known breach.
Do you suspect one of your accounts has been compromised?
Search for your email address on Have I Been Pwned? to cross-reference your email address with hundreds of data breaches.
If you’re concerned about identity theft or online tracking, practical changes can help you keep more of your personal data private.
Online Scams
Be cautious with phone calls, websites, and emails that request personal information. Scammers can convincingly imitate legitimate businesses and may use pressure or fear to push you into acting quickly. If a request might be genuine, don’t use the contact details in the message. Look up the company’s official website and contact it directly to confirm the issue before sharing anything.
Digital Security and Digital Privacy
If a computer is infected with a virus or malware, an attacker may steal personal information or use ransomware to lock the device. Run antivirus protection and keep your programs current. The same advice applies to your Mobile Devices. Our preferred option is Windows Defender Security and Antivirus. Install the latest operating system security patches and enable automatic updates when possible. Here’s how:
- • Turn on automatic updates for Windows
- • macOS automatically checks for updates by default, but you can check manually with these instructions
- • Android typically notifies you of updates, but you'll need to install them manually. Instructions will vary depending on your device and the version of Android you're currently running
- • iOS will nag you incessantly about updates, so there's no chance you'll miss them. Here is a walk-through of how to update
Ad Personalization or Customization
Turning off targeted ad personalization can reduce some of the tracking that gives companies detailed information about your activity.
Use the following controls to opt out of ad personalization on several popular platforms.
Google and Android
To limit ad personalization on Google and Android.
Apple
Opt out of ad personalization on Apple. If the instructions don’t match iOS 14, try Settings > Privacy > Apple Advertising, then turn off Personalized Ads.
On Facebook look for the ad settings tab, toggle the settings to not allowed,
To disconnect your activity that is shared with Facebook, and clear that history.
On the Facebook activity page, under What You Can Do, you can click on More Options > Manage Future Activity and toggle it to off.
How to opt out of Twitter ad personalization. There are several ways to turn off this feature...
You can also visit myactivity.google.com to review or delete saved activity. Use “Delete activity by” and select “All time” if you want to remove the available history.
The My Google Activity page also provides controls for Web and App Activity, Location History, and YouTube History.
Password Protection
Password-protect every device that stores personal information, including computers, tablets, and smartphones. Give each online account a strong, unique password; see our tips for creating passwords. Enable two-factor authentication wherever it’s offered so a stolen password alone isn’t enough to access the account. Recovery questions can be easy to research or guess, so use fictitious answers and save them in a password manager. And change your router’s default passwords, since a compromised router can expose your home network.
Secure Your Browser
Your browser is a primary gateway to the internet, and it can leave a detailed trail of your activity. Advertisers use cookies to follow browsing behavior and personalize ads. Here is our article on how cookies work and how to delete them.
To go a step farther, you can disable JavaScript. This cuts off another common way advertisers (or hackers) track you, but it can render some web pages nonfunctional
You can also try the Privacy Badger browser plug-in for Chrome, Firefox and Opera, which stops many potential trackers automatically. HTTPS Everywhere is another good browser plug in that forces your browser to use secure, encrypted sites when they are available, which helps keep snoopers away from your info. Private browsing mode deletes your cookies, browsing history and other temporary files whenever you close the window
We have listed some of the most popular and secure Browsers below:
- • Opera
- • Firefox
- • Waterfox
- • Slim Browser
- • Microsoft Edge
- • FreeNet
- • SeaMonkey
- • Chromium
- • Epic
- • Tor Browser
- • Vivaldi
- • Google Chrome
- • Brave
- • Safari
- • OmniWeb
- • Torch
Switch Search Engines
Many search engines record searches to personalize advertising. If you don’t want your search history used for that purpose, consider an alternative search engine and review its current privacy policy before choosing it.
- • DuckDuckGo
- • WolframAlpha
- • GIBIRU
- • Startpage
- • SwissCows
- • Disconnect Search
These search engines offer different approaches to search privacy. Their practices and features can change, so check each provider’s privacy terms to understand what it collects and retains.
Social Media Sites
Social media can feel like a private conversation even when a much larger audience can see it. Over time, posts may reveal where you live, where you go, and what you’re doing. Start by restricting your accounts and sharing only with the people you intend to reach. On Twitter, you can limit posts to approved followers. Facebook provides more detailed audience controls; use the guide to Facebook's privacy settings to configure your profile. If you keep an account public, be selective. Leave unnecessary identifying details out of your profile and avoid posting real-time locations or checking in everywhere you visit.
Update Privacy Settings
Review the privacy settings for every social account, not just when you first create it. Check what strangers, friends, and connected services can see. Limiting posts, comments, and profile details to an intended audience reduces unnecessary exposure.
Social media privacy policies and controls change. Revisit them periodically so you know who can access your posts and demographic data. Remove permissions you no longer need, especially for websites and apps connected to your social media accounts. These connections can reduce your control over how your activity is used for advertising.
Do Others Really Need Your Information
Before providing personal information in person, by phone, or online, ask why it’s needed and how it will be used. An email address or ZIP code may be collected mainly for marketing, which can lead to more unwanted mail. Share only what’s necessary.
Be especially careful with sensitive personal information like your social security number, including its last four digits. A bank, credit bureau, or company conducting an authorized background check may have a valid reason to request it, but many businesses do not.
Only Use Software Or Apps You Trust
Install software and apps only from developers and sources you trust. A polished appearance doesn’t prove that an app handles data responsibly, as concerns raised in the Scandal over the Meitu Photo App illustrate. If you can’t verify where a download came from or what permissions it requires, you can’t know what it’s doing with your information.
Update Your Software Regularly
Operating system, antivirus, and application updates often contain security patches and bug fixes. Installing them promptly closes vulnerabilities that attackers could use to reach your devices or data. Current software can also reduce your exposure to malware, ransomware, and other cyber threats. Enable automatic updates where practical, then check periodically to make sure they’re working.
Only Use Secure Wi-Fi Connections
Free Wi-Fi is convenient, but you may not know who controls or monitors the network. Avoid sending sensitive information over public Wi-Fi, and take extra precautions before signing in to an account. A reputable VPN can encrypt traffic between your device and the VPN service, though it won’t protect you from phishing sites or unsafe downloads.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) requires another form of verification in addition to a password. Depending on the account, that may be a one-time code, authentication app, or security key. Because 2FA adds a vital layer of security to your accounts, a stolen password is less likely to give an attacker immediate access. Enable it first on email, financial, cloud storage, and other high-value accounts.
Check Those Links
Hacking or Phishing sites often use addresses that resemble the company they’re impersonating. For example, www.yah00.org could mislead someone intending to visit Yahoo.com. Hover over a link to inspect its destination; the URL usually appears in a corner of the browser or email client. For sensitive accounts, type the known address directly into your browser instead of following an unexpected link.
Online Privacy and Security Websites
Protecting Your Privacy
USA Gov - Learn about protecting your personal information from unwanted use.
66 Ways to Protect Your Privacy
Consumer Reports - Do one, some, or all. Each one will make a difference.
8 ways to protect your privacy online
USA Today - With information security there is no such thing as a fail-safe solution.
Privacy, Identity and Online Security
Federal Trade Commission - Twitter and your privacy. Not only the key to your financial identity, but also to your online identity. Knowing how to protect your information.
How to Keep Your Personal Information Secure
Federal Trade Commission - Protecting your personal information can help reduce your risk of identity theft. There are four main ways to do it.
Online Privacy and Security
Federal Trade Commission - Understanding online privacy, how to protect your devices from hackers and threats, and how to avoid common online scams.
Protecting your privacy online
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada - Tips for protecting privacy while surfing the web, using email or social networking
Protect your privacy on the Internet
Microsoft Is your information at risk on the Internet? Your privacy on the Internet depends on your ability to control.
Download Protecting Your Privacy Online Fact Sheet
Microsoft - This fact sheet provides guidance on how to help protect your personal information in the cloud and includes key considerations around information security and online fraud.
Online Safety Information and Tips
Microsoft - Stay sharp on Internet safety - Protect your computer · What is rogue - Help kids stand up to online bullying.
State Laws Related to Internet Privacy
National Conference of State Legislatures - privacy policies, privacy of online book downloads and reader browsing information, personal information held by Internet service providers.
Best Practices
Online privacy protection isn’t a one-time settings change. It’s a routine. Start with the accounts and information that could cause the most harm if exposed, limit unnecessary data collection, and regularly verify that your security and recovery options still work.
- • Prioritize high-risk accounts first. Secure your primary email, financial services, cloud storage, mobile carrier, and password manager before less-sensitive accounts because these services can often be used to access or recover other accounts.
- • Protect account recovery methods. Review recovery email addresses and phone numbers, remove outdated options, store backup codes securely, and never keep your only recovery copy inside the account it is intended to restore.
- • Separate personal, financial, and promotional activity. Using different email addresses or aliases limits how easily companies, data brokers, and attackers can connect your accounts and build a complete profile of your online activity.
- • Perform a quarterly privacy audit. Review connected applications, active sessions, browser extensions, location history, advertising preferences, and app permissions. Revoke access for anything you no longer recognize, trust, or use.
- • Search for your public information periodically. Look for exposed addresses, phone numbers, usernames, and profile details, then follow a structured process to remove personal information from the Internet where possible.
- • Review audiences before posting. Privacy controls can change, and old posts may remain visible to more people than intended. Audit previous content, tagged photos, location details, and friend lists using these steps for making social media profiles more private.
- • Keep encrypted website backups of essential information. Maintain recoverable copies of important documents and device data so ransomware, theft, accidental deletion, or account loss does not leave you dependent on a single service.
- • Create a personal breach-response plan. Record how to change critical passwords, revoke sessions, contact financial institutions, lock a mobile number, and notify trusted contacts. If an incident occurs, act first on the account that can unlock the others.
- • Reassess privacy when circumstances change. A new phone, household move, job change, major app installation, or reported data breach should trigger an immediate review. For additional safeguards, consult these practical online privacy tips.
Summary
Protecting online privacy means controlling how much personal information you share and making it harder for unauthorized people to reach your accounts or devices. Strong, unique passwords, two-factor authentication, current software, careful link checking, and restrained sharing can reduce the risks created by data breaches, password leaks, scams, and tracking.
Begin with your primary email, financial accounts, phone, and home router. Then review social media visibility, connected apps, browser settings, and recovery methods. Repeat those checks whenever you replace a device, install an important app, or learn that a service you use has been breached.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between online privacy and online security?
Online privacy concerns how personal information is collected, used, shared, and controlled. Online security focuses on protecting devices, accounts, and data from unauthorized access, malware, theft, and other threats. The two work together: strong security prevents exposure, while good privacy habits limit the amount of information available to companies, data brokers, and cybercriminals.
Does private or incognito browsing make me anonymous online?
No. Private browsing mainly prevents the browser from saving local history, cookies, and form information after the session ends. Websites, employers, schools, Internet service providers, and network administrators may still observe activity. It can be useful on shared devices, but it does not replace tracker controls, secure connections, careful sharing, or other online privacy protections.
Is a free VPN enough to protect my online privacy?
A free VPN may encrypt traffic between your device and its servers, but service quality, data limits, available locations, and privacy practices vary. Review who operates the service, what information it records, and how it earns money. A VPN also cannot prevent phishing, malware, account tracking, or information you voluntarily share. These VPN safety tips for travelers explain additional considerations.
How can I tell whether my personal information was exposed in a data breach?
Warning signs include unfamiliar login alerts, password-reset messages you did not request, unexpected account changes, unknown financial transactions, or notifications from a breached company. Check the affected service through its official website, review recent sessions, and monitor important accounts. Never follow a breach-warning link until you independently confirm that the message and sender are legitimate.
What should I do first if one of my online accounts is compromised?
Start with the affected account and the email account used to recover it. Change reused or exposed passwords, sign out unknown sessions, enable multi-factor authentication, and confirm that recovery details were not altered. Contact the provider through an official channel and notify your bank when financial data is involved. Create replacement credentials using proven strong password practices.
Can I completely remove my personal information from the Internet?
Complete removal is rarely possible because information may exist in public records, archived pages, search indexes, social networks, and data-broker databases. You can still reduce exposure by deleting unused accounts, requesting removal from eligible websites, limiting future sharing, and checking search results periodically. Follow this guide to removing personal information online for a practical starting process.
How often should I review my privacy settings and connected apps?
Review important accounts every few months and whenever a platform changes its policies, you install a new app, replace a device, or experience suspicious activity. Check public profile visibility, location sharing, advertising preferences, active sessions, and third-party access. Remove integrations you no longer use. Social accounts deserve particular attention; these steps can help you make social media profiles more private.
Is using a password manager safer than remembering passwords myself?
A reputable password manager can improve security by creating and storing a different strong password for every account, reducing password reuse and memory-dependent shortcuts. Protect the manager with a long, unique master password and multi-factor authentication, and keep recovery information secure. Compare providers by encryption design, supported devices, recovery options, security history, pricing, and export capabilities before choosing one.
What should I avoid doing while connected to public Wi-Fi?
Avoid accessing sensitive financial, medical, business, or administrative accounts unless necessary. Confirm the network name with the venue, disable automatic connections and file sharing, prefer websites using HTTPS, and use cellular data for especially sensitive activity. A VPN can add connection protection, but it cannot make fraudulent websites safe. Review these public Wi-Fi security practices before connecting.
Are mobile payments safer than entering a card number on a website?
Mobile wallets can reduce direct card-number exposure by using tokenization, but safety still depends on the device, merchant, network, and account configuration. Use a screen lock, biometric verification, transaction alerts, current software, and remote device controls. Avoid completing purchases through unexpected messages or unfamiliar links. Learn more about protecting payment details with these secure mobile transaction practices.
How can families protect children’s privacy without blocking normal Internet use?
Teach children not to share their full name, school, address, location, passwords, or private images without permission. Review app access, gaming chats, friend requests, purchases, and account visibility together. Use age-appropriate parental controls while maintaining open conversations about scams, bullying, and uncomfortable contact. This online safety guide for parents provides additional practical guidance.
Author Bio: Mark Cole
Digital content writer focused on clear, informative copy, with more than nine years of international copywriting experience.
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Comments (1)
Insightful read on privacy protection! The section on using VPNs was spot-on. Any recommendations for free, reliable VPNs that don’t log data, or is it always better to invest in a paid one for stronger privacy?