The importance of caring about digital privacy is something each individual should have a raised awareness about. We use PCs, tablets, laptops, and phones daily, and all of them are devices that enable a lot of incoming and outcoming traffic to flow through.
As we can’t imagine our modern world without the internet, it’s vital to give our best and protect our digital privacy so that none of our data could get hacked or disrupted. We’ll show you some of the main reasons why more and more people care about their digital privacy.
Moreover, this article provides efficient solutions to protect your digital identity. While some degree of tracking will always be possible, you can minimize it.
Why do people care about digital privacy and ways to protect it?
People care about their digital privacy more and more because they want to:
- Stop Facebook and Google ads. Whether you like it or not, Google and Facebook use numerous techniques to track you. Thus, they are likely to have a lot of information about you. In some cases, these platforms might know you better than your friends and family.
- Stop IPSs from monitoring their activities. In certain regions, Internet Service Providers can freely collect and sell information on their clients’ online actions. Thus, you might want to prevent the monetization of your digital habits.
As these two main reasons lead people to care more about their digital privacy, let’s see the two primary ways in which we can protect it:
- Using a Virtual Private Network. A VPN app is probably the best way to care about your digital privacy. How does it work? A VPN masks your IP address and encrypts entire internet traffic. It is an excellent solution for covering everything and minimizing surveillance.
- Using a proxy. A proxy is a server that acts as a medium between the servers you visit and your server. It protects your location as all traffic will be associated with a different IP address. However, please note that not all proxies encrypt traffic. Additionally, they might cover traffic from specific apps, not everything.
Other ways you can protect your digital privacy
Software and apps
Thinking about digital privacy is essential in the modern times we live in. We constantly download apps without paying attention, and that is a prevalent mistake. Therefore, make sure you always have the newest software at hand and download only secure programs and apps.
Using a guest network
If there is a guest network on the router in your home, make sure to use it. A guest network means that nobody who connects to your network can access your data. No, we’re not saying that your friends want to steal your data, but you know the saying “better safe than sorry.”
Strong password
You can easily change the password of your network. All you have to do is access the settings of your router. After that, you can create a unique password, which is where you have to pay attention that it’s a strong password, hard for others to crack.
Updating firmware regularly
Each internet router runs on firmware. This software, primarily a low-level one, is what you should always keep up to date by installing the latest patches for security. When you want to update firmware, all you have to do is access your router’s control panel and find the option for it.
Disabling UPnP, Remote Access, and WPS
You should always disable these features by entering the control panel of your router. If you keep these features active, a hacker will likely see you, which is not what digital privacy is all about. Enable some of these features only if particular apps won’t work without them.
What are the benefits of protecting your digital privacy?
There are certain benefits of keeping a low profile online. It includes being cautious about the digital footprints you leave.
- Bypassing geo-blocks. By concealing your location, you get to experience more online.
- Avoiding government surveillance. If you are a journalist, you might need to conduct a lot of online research and visit many foreign websites. In some cases, the research you do might be controversial or scandalous. Thus, protecting your identity becomes a major priority.
Conclusion
After reading this brief analysis on the importance of caring for your digital privacy, you probably understand why keeping your identity safe is so important. Securing the traffic flow that travels through your network is something we urge you to encourage.
You can opt for more privacy-focused tool and be wary of what you post online. After all, you might be giving away your information voluntarily. Thus, consider whether particular information about you should be available online.
