{"id":30105,"date":"2021-05-13T10:49:49","date_gmt":"2021-05-13T00:49:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.geeks2u.com.au\/?p=30105"},"modified":"2023-07-28T16:42:09","modified_gmt":"2023-07-28T06:42:09","slug":"10-tips-to-protect-your-privacy-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.geeks2u.com.au\/geekspeak\/10-tips-to-protect-your-privacy-online\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Tips To Protect Your Privacy Online"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>There\u2019s really never been a time when we\u2019ve been <em>this<\/em> connected, thanks to the wonders of the Internet. But it\u2019s not all Zoom parties and engaging content \u2013 there\u2019s a darker side to the online world and internet privacy is serious business.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not all doom and gloom though \u2013 you do have some control over your data online. So to help you protect yourself and your personal information from hackers and the like, we\u2019ve put together our top 10 online privacy tips. We\u2019ve made these tips simple and actionable so you feel safe to browse, shop and share to your heart\u2019s content online.<\/p>\n<h2>But first, what does \u2018internet privacy\u2019 mean?<\/h2>\n<p>Also known as \u2018online privacy\u2019, this phrase refers to the amount (or level) of security and protection you have while you\u2019re online for your communications, preferences and any personal data. Internet privacy has become a contentious topic due to countless cyber attacks and data breaches happening around the world each and every day.<\/p>\n<p>Protecting privacy online involves taking the necessary steps to protect your data and devices from unwanted eyes and intruders. Let\u2019s take a look at 10 things you can do right now to tighten up your security.<\/p>\n<h2>Online privacy tips to action right away:<\/h2>\n<h3>1. Protect your devices with passcodes or passwords<\/h3>\n<p>Protecting privacy online often starts with the device you use to connect to the internet. Set up your smartphone, tablet and computer with passcodes and\/or passwords to add an extra layer of security. And if your device has a biometric login, consider using that as well.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Use unique and secure passwords<\/h3>\n<p>You leave your personal data vulnerable if you don\u2019t have strong, unique and secure passwords. If you haven\u2019t done it in a while, check your passwords and make sure they\u2019re:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>not repeated (use different passwords for every login)<\/li>\n<li>More than 12 characters long, and<\/li>\n<li>Store them in a secure password manager (never write them down on paper).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>3. Turn off notifications for your lock screen<\/h3>\n<p>When notifications pop up, anyone can see them. This can display personal information to anyone around, so make sure you hide or disable your notifications from your lock screen. Not only is this good for your personal devices, it\u2019s also recommended for any work phone or computer you use regularly.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Install (and use) a VPN<\/h3>\n<p>A VPN (virtual private network) allows you to access a public network but remain private, which is essential when you access WiFi in public. Internet privacy in this context will help to keep your passwords, financial data and browsing history safe from prying eyes. You can create your own VPN or sign up to one of many existing providers.<\/p>\n<h3>5. Enable two factor authentication<\/h3>\n<p>While this may be annoying to you, two factor authentication on your apps and accounts adds an extra layer of security that\u2019s not just a username and password. Some of the services you already use offer two factor authentication \u2013 Gmail, Dropbox and Xero, for example \u2013 so take advantage of this free protection to keep your sensitive data hidden.<\/p>\n<h3>6. Check and review all permissions<\/h3>\n<p>When you sign up to a new service or visit a website for the first time, you\u2019ll often be asked for permission to access certain data. It\u2019s important that you review these permissions regularly and know exactly what apps and websites have access to. Similarly, be careful of which browser extensions you install and only add ones that you\u2019ll use.<\/p>\n<h3>7. Choose apps with end-to-end encryption for messaging<\/h3>\n<p>Not all messaging apps are secure \u2013 many offer encryption in transit, which means that anything you send is stored on servers at their destination. If that server is hacked, your data will be compromised. End-to-end encryption is where the data is encrypted so even the app you\u2019re using can\u2019t read it. WhatsApp is a great example of this, but other messaging services like Telegram and Facebook Messenger require you to start a secret chat to get end-to-end protection.<\/p>\n<h3>8. Don\u2019t share your personal phone number and main email address<\/h3>\n<p>Have you started receiving a tonne of spam? Chances are your email address or phone number has been leaked. Instead of using your main contact details for online purchases or joining mailing lists, you might like to create a separate account. That way you can filter out that spam and enjoy a little more internet privacy.<\/p>\n<h3>9. Avoid public storage for your private data<\/h3>\n<p>You might see a lot of oversharing happening on social media, but it happens in other places as well. Public storage apps or websites, like Google Docs or Dropbox, aren\u2019t designed for storing sensitive data \u2013 don\u2019t keep your passwords or bank account information there. Use a password manager or password protected server so you know your data won\u2019t end up in the wrong hands.<\/p>\n<h3>10. Clear that cache!<\/h3>\n<p>This tip is simple and will only take you a few minutes. Periodically clear the cache on your website browser to remove your search history, clear any cookies (that\u2019s how your online habits are tracked) and any saved personal data. To do this, navigate to your browser settings and under \u2018privacy and security\u2019 you\u2019ll find \u2018clear browsing history\u2019 (or similar).<\/p>\n<h2>How to protect your privacy on social media<\/h2>\n<p>Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms know a lot about you already. They reveal information to the world about you that you might not even realise is available. Head over to the security settings of any platforms you\u2019re part of and make sure you\u2019re aware of what other people can see, then take steps to tightening your privacy by adjusting the settings to a level that makes you feel comfortable.<\/p>\n<h2>Need help with your internet privacy? Ask the Geeks!<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Secure your small business from cyber threats with our tailored <a href=\"https:\/\/www.geeks2u.com.au\/small-business-digital-health-check\/\">cyber security solutions<\/a> &#8211; safeguard your data, protect your reputation, and ensure peace of mind.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There\u2019s really never been a time when we\u2019ve been this connected, thanks to the wonders of the Internet. But it\u2019s not all Zoom parties and&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":30108,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[348,245],"tags":[245],"class_list":["post-30105","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-quick-tips","category-security","tag-security"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geeks2u.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30105","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geeks2u.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geeks2u.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geeks2u.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geeks2u.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30105"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.geeks2u.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30105\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44633,"href":"https:\/\/www.geeks2u.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30105\/revisions\/44633"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geeks2u.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30108"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geeks2u.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30105"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geeks2u.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30105"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geeks2u.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30105"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}