Privacy Fundamentals: A Quick Guide

Privacy is the ability to choose how much, where, and when your information is shared. It is a right, and like other rights, you must take action in order to protect it. With the internet, and technology in general, being aware of a few things can go a long way toward securing your privacy.

1. Don’t announce private information publicly.

This may seem obvious, but posting about yourself on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or X should be considered as risky as shouting it from the rooftops. Information like where you live, first and last name, phone number, email address, should not be public.

2. Most tech companies are not protecting your information. They are harvesting it.

The companies listed above love it when you give them information about yourself, because they can sell it. They are tracking whatever you do on their apps and websites, and analyze that data to construct some idea of your habits and preferences.

They sell primarily to advertisers, but possibly to more nefarious actors as well, like government agencies.

3. Know where to look for good alternatives.   

Open-source projects are more respectful of privacy because the code is available for anyone to see and audit. If an app is not open-source, it’s probably not trustworthy.

The first app I recommend is Brave web browser. If you are using Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, or Apple Safari, Brave is going to be a big step up.

A couple of good websites to find apps are: https://awesome-privacy.xyz/ and https://privacytests.org/ .

4. Never trust the default settings.

Whenever you install and first open an app, open up the options or settings and see which options affect your privacy. Be thorough; you may find more than you think. Browsers may have tracking opt-outs. Social apps may have settings to select who your profile information is shown to.

This also applies to websites: check which personal information is actually required to use the service. If it’s not required, don’t offer it. 

5. Use good passwords and/or a password manager. 

Again, this may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised how common this issue is. Every time there is a password leak from a big company, analysis shows that a lot of people are using passwords like “password” or “1234567”.

A secure password could be four random words strung together, or a randomized string of numbers, letters, and symbols. And of course each app and site will have its own requirements for what must be included in a password.

This comic from XKCD has helped me come up with good passwords for years.

FAQs

Q: What is online privacy and why is it important?

A: Online privacy refers to the ability to control how your personal information is collected, used, and shared online. It's essential to protect your online privacy to prevent identity theft, financial fraud, and other forms of cybercrime.

By taking steps to safeguard your online privacy, you can help ensure that your personal data is not misused or exploited.

Q: How can I use social media safely?

A: To use social media safely, be cautious about what you share online, and use strong and unique passwords.

You should also review your social media settings regularly to ensure that you're not sharing more information than you intend to.

Additionally, use social media platforms that prioritize user privacy and have a strong track record of protecting user data.

Q: What is data harvesting and how can I prevent it?

A: Data harvesting refers to the practice of collecting and selling personal data without users' consent.

To prevent data harvesting, use a privacy-focused browser, install anti-tracking extensions, and avoid using websites and apps that collect excessive amounts of personal data.

You can also use a website's privacy settings to opt out of data collection and advertising.