Google paid a total of $6.5 million last year to hackers, aiming at keeping the internet safe. Surprising as it might sound, most high-value multinationals including PayPal, have been on a spending spree paying hackers recently for the same purpose. This approach helps these corporations improve on any vulnerabilities that might emerge online. Online safety has become a persistent headache, even for the most technologically advanced companies. These emerging security concerns should send shockwaves down user’s spines considering the number of online activities being undertaken currently. The safest way to conduct research online is by searching anonymously. When you are surfing the web anonymously, you reduce the risk of any malicious tracking. Are you wondering how to browse anonymously online using your iPhone, Ipad or Mac? Here’s everything you need to know about private surfing. The internet presents valuable information on almost every search query on earth. Google recorded, on average, around 1.6 billion visits per week in January 2018. This mind-boggling traffic on search engines exposes online consumers to multiple vulnerabilities. Apart from hacking or phishing concerns, your activities online are also subject to other exposures. Behavioral tracking for targeted advertising has emerged as another notorious reason you need to ensure you’re browsing anonymously. Data privacy will continue to be a major headache for online users in the future. This is why you need to find new ways of keeping your searches private.
1. Private Browsing
If you’re a blogger or a frequent online user, searching anonymously when researching sensitive topics is vital. The best place to start in your quest to remain anonymous is by switching to private mode. Once you switch private mode on, no record of sites visited or content downloaded is traceable back to you. This option ensures that both your personal computer and the websites you visit have limited access to your search activities. You can switch back to normal browsing as soon as you’re done with your private browsing.
Private Mode on Firefox
Most search engines have a private mode to ensure privacy. Firefox has a private browsing option, which helps you remain in private mode when surfing the web. If you’ve been wondering how to browse anonymously when using Firefox, then the private browsing option is the answer.
Google Chrome’s Incognito Mode
Google Chrome users also have the option of switching to incognito mode extension. The incognito option allows chrome users to surf the internet in private mode without having to worry about privacy. The browser creates a temporary session that ensures your anonymous search remains isolated from the browser’s main course or user data. Such data you search on incognito mode does not appear on both the browser history and the search history. When browsing on incognito, your search history won’t leave traces like cookies on your computer. Even while on incognito, Chrome gives a caveat that websites may still find ways to collect or share your information. This means that you might need to consider extra tracking options to limit the collection of personal information.
Internet Explorer’s InPrivate Browsing
Are you wondering how to ensure you remain private while using the Internet Explorer browser? Well, this browser has the InPrivate browsing feature to ensure you continue anonymously in your search activities. The InPrivate feature also provides a way for you to block sites from potential tracking selectively.
Safari’s Private Browsing
Apple users also share the same concern related to private browsing and tracking. The Safari browser has a hidden search mode option for Mac users. Searching anonymously on this mode prevents the browser from remembering any website or web apps you might visit in your search online. Are you wondering how to turn on incognito mode on iPhone, Ipad or Mac? This guide provides you with all the essential information you might need about incognito mode Mac. With this information, you can clear all the history, cookies, and caches that might form part of your past browsing records. Once you activate incognito browsing on your Safari, you can proceed to search on incognito. Unfortunately, even with the additional measures in place, your profile is still visible to the websites you visit.
2. Complete Privacy with VPN
Most times, online users need to go the extra step even when they are in incognito mode. Ensuring that you enter every private session within a secure VPN is the first step. Mac users can now utilize full-featured VPN such as Shimo. With a VPN, you can hide your identity. This is achievable by funneling all your web traffic through an encrypted server. The approach ensures that your critical information is fully-encrypted before reaching the desired destination. Are you looking for ways of searching anonymously online with Your Mac? Using a VPN platform ensures that all your searches come from a third-party server without the possibility of tracing back to you.
3. “Do Not Track” Feature
The advancements in technology expose online users to numerous evolving risks. Even while using incognito browsing and third- party VPNs, you still need an extra layer of safety. You can use “do not track” features that offer additional protection from unknown tracking. With modern innovative software, you can utilize “do not track plus” browser add-ons. These options block websites or any other advertisement pop-ups from monitoring your activities online. With this option, you can easily see who is tracking you. You might need to opt-out of shared-endorsements and turn off all the add personalization options on any of your browsers. This way, even when you see ads, they won’t be able to track you.
4. Stop Location Data
All browsers send you geographical location data to help customize your search history. With behavioral tracking, ad networks use this information to segment clients. While using geolocation details, your personal information may be used for purposes you haven’t sanctioned. Avoiding the use of public Wi-Fi or other unsecured options would help hide your network location or IP address. Geolocation information presents serious privacy concerns. This is the reason you need to consider hiding your location information.
Ensuring privacy Is the First Step towards Online Safety
Search engines receive zillions of search queries in the modern age of information. You probably spend considerable time searching online for information that may, at times, be overly sensitive. Without proper privacy considerations, you might end up being a target by the numerous online cartels. The best place to start would be to consider private browsing. This article elaborates on the different options you can find while searching anonymously online. Check out our other posts for more informative content.
