Five Ways To Protect Your Privacy Online

If you've been paying attention to the news at all, you probably heard that Facebook was hacked again recently.  This of course follows on the heels of the exposure of their information gathering techniques among other shady practices. I have some concerns when it comes to Facebook and if I didn't have a blog I probably wouldn't use it at all. That's why it absolutely confounds me that people still post all sorts of personal information and photos on there.  But then I guess there are those who have nowhere else to exercise their overarching need for attention. Beyond that, people should be concerned that a so called "safe" network can be so easily infiltrated and more than once at that.

While the internet is a resource that most of us use on a daily basis in a professional and personal capacity, it can also be used to track and trace our identities and reveal our personal information if we're not careful. That's why we need to take our privacy seriously. While I may be a blogger, and I write about topics which are highly personal and relevant to me, my privacy matters and I make a deliberate effort not to put myself out there online. This includes limiting photos of myself and not sharing many personal details. I can assure you that I am who I present myself to be on here and those of you have have met me can vouch that I'm a real person. And here are some measures that I employ to protect my privacy online.

1. Don't Divulge Key Personal Information
I avoid disclosing any type of personal identifying information like my last name, birthday, mother’s maiden name, spouse's name, etc. on any social media sites. This is a very simple and basic way to protect yourself online because this is the precise the type of information that can be used to steal your identity.  If you really need people to wish you a happy birthday, you can share the month and day and leave out the year. For anything that requires a birthdate, I actually have a designated fake one that I use of an obscure celebrity that I like so I won't forget it.

2. Don't Overshare
There are people on Facebook who will actually live post their vacations and some who post photos of their children multiple times daily. It's needy, it's annoying and it's also dangerous. If it's that important to get those likes, then limit the the viewership to those who are closest to you. You never want people to know when you're not at home and especially for an extended period of time because that means it's uninhabited and could make it a target for thieves. And for people who post many photos of your children, keep in mind that it can be considered an invasion of privacy if it's done without their permission and you could also be opening up yourself to predators and something even more horrifying. Again take advantage of privacy settings and be judicious about the photos you post as well as the identifying information associated with them. 

3. Don't Share Your Location
Most phones, apps, and web services have geo-location services that track and tag your location. I always turn these off. I don't like people knowing where I am at any time and I generally don't live post from events preferring to wait until I've already left the location. I also never take photos around where I live that can identify my address. We use a VPN on all our devices at home and on the go. This is a virtual private network that conceals our IP address and encrypts our data connection allowing us to be secure and anonymous while we're online. It also allows us to divert our actual physical location. With net neutrality regulations being taken away in the US, I'd highly recommend the use of a VPN as a means to secure your internet access. We use Private Internet Access. Also be mindful of connecting to public WiFi networks when you're outside because many of them aren't safe.

4. Block Cookies On Your Web Browser
Cookies are a form of internet tracking technology that allows websites to identify you when you visit them. The data that is collected gets mashed together to form your “digital profile,” which some sites will sell without your consent to companies around the world. If you block cookies, you can prevent some of this type of data collection. This means that you might have to enter passwords more often, but again worth it for the added protection.

5. Use Two-Factor Authentication
This is a process which requires verification of your identity before you can log into an app or website. A unique code will be sent to your phone, which you have to input that code to be granted access. The extra step can be a pain but it's worth it for the extra measure of security. And don't ever use social media sites to sign into any other sites. That's just asking for trouble.

When it comes to your online security, the best practice is to think before you post and better to be safe than sorry.  If you find this information to be helpful, please share it. Do you tend to overshare or are you vigilant about your privacy?