Stop Internet Tracking Now!

The internet is a specially created tool that we have been continuously using for a long time. It knows everything about us: what sites we visit, what purchases we make, our communication details, favorite movies and books, and much more.

This way, the internet remembers all your actions to offer you suitable content and set up native ads.

Do you want to know how Google tracks our data on the internet? Read the article Google Data Tracking and protect your online experience from any third parties.

Basically, websites use cookies for this purpose – a small piece of your data. However, it can be used, along with other internet surveillance tools.

In general, this type of web tracking does not pose a particular threat. You should know exactly how the internet tracks you and restrict access to your data, if possible.

Today, We Should All Be Concerned About Online Surveillance. Read the article and do your best for data protection.

What is internet tracking?

Internet tracking is the collection of certain information, which includes data about using a particular website by a user. For this, sites use web trackers that collect such particular information and even more. As a rule, they even have data such as your IP address, name, phone number, location, and personal data.

There are four main methods of data collection: cookies, browser fingerprints, tracking pixels, and HTTP-referrers. You can also be identified by your saved credentials that you’ve entered on the specific site. As soon as a particular site determines your identity, your profile will already be in its database.

– Why is the internet tracking us?

The official answer is “to make your browsing experience faster and more convenient.” However, is this really the case? This is partly true.

– What are tracking files?

For instance, video hosting sites like YouTube or Netflix collect all private information about watched videos and movies to suggest you something similar.

Popular stores like Amazon or eBay also save data about your online purchases to offer you even more similar items.

Search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo keep track of your internet queries to offer you the most relevant sites on these topics.

This is only part of the useful work that websites do to simplify internet search.

However, there is also a negative side. After all, the collected data can be used against you. This information can be sold to advertisers to set up specific ads for you.

Or hackers can easily break into databases and find out all the necessary information about a particular person to blackmail them later.

P.S. Also don’t forget that on large sites such as online stores, you enter your bank card details, which can be dangerous and could leave you without money.

Cookies

Cookies collect information about your activity on a particular site. For cookies to work properly, you need to have an account on the site. If you do not have an account, these files are saved on the browser you are using.

For example, a news site may use cookies to offer you the most interesting news based on your previous search history.

As a rule, cookies don’t pose a big threat to the user. You are unlikely to share any private information or upload malware via cookies. However, this is still not safe, and many network users do not like it. So, you can disable Cookies:

Disable cookies on the website (many sites have a built-in ability to disable cookies automatically.)

Disable cookies permanently by opening the browser settings and selecting “Do not track”.

Enable private browsing or incognito mode (however, keep in mind that these modes do not guarantee the confidentiality of your data.)

Recently, we’ve written about Google Private Mode that tracks users. Read the article and avoid this feature of your browser.

Browser fingerprints

This internet tracker is built on the used browser uniqueness. It works like this: each time, when you use a particular browser, it can easily track your activity using built-in tools.

Browser fingerprints have data such as your OS version, language, time zone, fonts, permissions, and more.

It is worth noting that unlike cookies, fingerprints are a more complex method of tracking users since they check the browser settings and do not store browser files on the computer.

As for the methods of removing this surveillance, they are quite difficult to use. Therefore, it is not possible to manually disable this tracking feature using the usual browser.

The idea of Protected Internet: is it possible to stay safe online?

Tracking pixels

A tracking pixel is a special image that tracks all traffic, activity of the users, and site conversions in the form of 1×1.

This method can also be compared to cookies, but in this case, such surveillance cannot be disabled. This method is usually used for targeted marketing. The pixel provides information about the operating system used, email, website, IP address, screen resolution, and much more, including which version is used, mobile or desktop.

It works like this: the user opens a website or their email, while the pixel loads and tracks all the user’s actions. Simultaneously, the user does not even know that such a program collects data about them.

However, there is still a way to avoid using this program. To do this, you need to enable the browser extension or use proxy servers.

*Note: Usually, a proxy server provides the user with the ability to remain anonymous on the network and ensure their data security.

HTTP-referrers

To quickly find the product, information, or online store you are interested in, marketers use a special HTTP-referrers. This tool has all the information about your online movement. After all, every site has the prefix “HTTP” initially, so referrers can determine the address of any web page that you have ever visited.

– How does it work?

HTTP referrers collect all the necessary information and then pass it to the particular web page where you are now. Such a data is used for ads setting.

An important advantage of this tracking method is that everyone can disable the referrer in the menu bar. For this, just open the browser extension.

How to prevent internet tracking?

There are some working methods of preventing any internet tracking threat. But the most reliable is a decentralized Utopia P2P ecosystem.

We’ve already spoken about this private tool for internet usage. But it is a really secure and multifunctional ecosystem that protects your online experience from third parties and state agencies.

Utopia has a built-in Idyll browser that doesn’t track your online movements and collect your search history. So, only you know which sites you open and what information is interesting for you.

The clear advantages of a peer-to-peer network are waiting for you in the article What is a P2P network? Read the article and choose the most secure tool right now.