April 8, 2021

How to protect your online privacy in 5 minutes

Online privacy isn’t just for tech experts. Anyone can make their online experience more private! In this guide, you’ll learn how to protect your online privacy in 5 minutes or less.

To get started, grab your phone, laptop, and any other devices that you use to connect to the internet. Next, follow these easy steps.

1. Set a private search engine as your default.

Non-private search engines are tracking your online activity. This means they know every single search and link click you perform. By tracking your online activity and collecting your personal data (age, location, etc), they’re able to build a profile on you and target you with personalized ads. Creepy, right? Well, let’s change that.

Use a private search engine like Startpage to ensure you no one can monitor your search and browsing activity. You can make Startpage your default search engine on Chrome and Firefox by downloading the Startpage Privacy Protection extension. To make Startpage your default on mobile or other devices, check out our support page for more information.

2. Download an encrypted messaging app.

SMS messages, iMessages, and messaging apps like WhatsApp aren’t really private or secure. For example these messages can potentially be viewed by the owners of the app, hackers, and/or the government.

An encrypted messenger keeps your conversations private and secure, between you and intended recipients. This means your calls and messages can’t be accessed by the company or any third parties. Download an encrypted messaging app like Signal or Threema. Before choosing tool, we suggest you do your research and ready the privacy policy.

3. Use a password manager and enable 2FA.  

Your passwords are the keys to your accounts. If the keys get into the wrong hands, so does your personal data. For that reason, always create a strong and unique password for each account and device.

Can’t remember more than 3 passwords? A password manager helps you keep track of all your various passwords. And, Two-factor authentication (2FA) is an extra layer of security that requires a second form of authentication before you can sign in to an account.

Now that you’ve completed these 3 easy steps, your privacy will be in better shape. Share the infographic below to help your family, coworkers, and friends learn how to protect their online privacy.

 

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