A big part of our life is now digital. We communicate with our friends and loved ones via messaging apps, we conduct business via email, we use digital calendars to plan our weeks and use apps to handle day-to-day activities like our finances.
However, by spending more and more time online we are increasingly giving up privacy. In this article, you will discover four ways to increase your privacy in today’s tech world.
Increase your privacy in today's tech world.
1. Install an anti-virus and a malware detection software
The unfortunate reality is that cyber crime is on the rise and both businesses as well as individuals have become targets. The goal of hackers is primarily to gain access to your financial accounts but there is also demand for collecting as much information about individuals as possible, which can then be sold to those willing to pay for the data.
To prevent getting hacked, it is highly recommended to download both an anti-virus software such as Norton Antivirus or Avast plus a malware detection software such as Malwarebytes. Malicious software can trace all your moves online. Hence, for more digital privacy, make sure to install adequate cyber security software.
2. Avoid new tech products that record you
In-home voice assistants Alexa and Google Home can play music, create digital to-do lists, make online searches, provide weather reports and control other Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices in your home. However, they also record everything you say in your own home. This data is then stored on the servers of Amazon, Google or whoever the manufacturer of the voice assistant it.
In other words, by purchasing voice assistants you are giving away your privacy to speak freely in your home without being recorded. If you value your privacy, you are better off not owning such devices.
Cyber crime is on the rise.
3. Use DuckDuckGo instead of Google
If you want to search online but do not want Google to store every single one of your searches on their servers, you should instead use DuckDuckGo. DuckDuckGo is a useful website that allows to make web searches without your search data being collected or fine tuned in relation to your past search history.
4. Stop using Gmail
Gmail is one of the most popular free email accounts in the world. However, what most Gmail users are not aware of is that Google screens through all your emails to gather more information about you, which is then used as data for its advertising platform. If you do not want your emails to be scanned for keywords, use alternative email services.
Privacy is not about hiding something wrongful. It’s about the basic human right to being yourself in your own home. By following the four above-mentioned tips you can increase your privacy while being online.