Keep Your Online Activity Safe From Advertisers !
In this blog, I’ll highlight how ad tracking works and how you can avoid it. In the real world, if you want one thing, you’ll have to give up another thing. For example, if you want food – which is essential for our survival – you’ll have to pay for it – or alternatively hunt or gather it. Consequently, every day, we go through this cycle of give and take. However, sometimes, we are fooled into thinking that we have gained something without giving up anything–sort of like getting something for free – Though, if you are smart observer, you already know that there is no such thing as a free product or service.
For example, did you know that every website you visit, you and your online activities are being tracked by cookies or some other tracking technology? This is a scary thought for anyone who values their online privacy! For example, you get to read or watch the free content available on the web, but then you pay for it by letting websites monitor your browsing habits – to put it in simpler terms, you are giving away your privacy.
As technology progresses, targeted adverts are quickly gaining popularity amongst vendors. On the other hand, those who are being targeted are not too delighted about their activities being tracked. It seems every time you look up a product or visit websites, your surfing habits are tracked by cookies – these cookies record all your interests and online manners, thus they are responsible for customized ads which are tailored to your personal tastes.
Dig down deeper, and it seems that your privacy takes a backseat to greedy corporate motives – which are to earn more money. Whether you knew it or not, third-party advertising agencies get more revenue from targeted ads, as there is a greater chance of the consumer purchasing the product or service being advertised through targeted preferences! So, how can you avoid becoming prey to greedy corporations? Well, I have listed some proven methods that can – to some extend – help you avoid online tracking.
Install Anti tracking software:
Nonetheless, you can now opt out of online tracking by downloading various anti-tracking extensions on Google chrome and Firefox. One such plug-in extension which I use for Google chrome is “Do not Track”. However, there are many others which work just as well. Nevertheless, these tools can only block third-party tracking activities; they usually are ineffective against user activities tracked by first parties. In addition, not all websites use cookies to track your surfing habits. Thus, sometimes, even anti tracking software will fail under these circumstances.
Use VPN:
Using a virtual private network is good practice; a VPN can prevent websites from tracking your actual location – as they mask your original locality with proxy that may be located in another state or in a foreign country. In fact, proxies are a sure fire way to hide your identity – preventing advertisers and others from pinpointing your exact location. Detectibly, one drawback – that puts off users from using proxies – is the fact that it can considerably slow down your internet speed, regardless of whether you use free proxies or paid ones. The only difference is that most free proxies – but not all – will display multiple ads, which can in turn significantly slow down your internet speeds and your computer.
Stop Advertisers From Tracking
There are several ways to stop advertisers from tracking you. The most effective way is to use a browser extension such as Privacy Badger or Ghostery. These extensions block tracking scripts and cookies, preventing advertisers from tracking you. Additionally, you can use a virtual private network (VPN) to hide your IP address and make it harder for advertisers to track you. Finally, you can also opt out of online tracking through the Digital Advertising Alliance’s opt-out page.
Ways Advertisers Know Browsing History
Advertisers can track your browsing history using tracking scripts and cookies. These scripts and cookies are used to collect data about your online activities, such as the websites you visit, the products you view, and the ads you click on. This data is then used to target ads to you based on your interests and browsing habits. Additionally, some advertisers may be able to track your IP address, which can be used to determine your approximate location.
Ways To Protect Privacy Online
1. Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN): A VPN encrypts your internet traffic and masks your IP address, making it harder for third parties to track your online activities.
2. Enable Do Not Track: Most modern web browsers have an option to enable Do Not Track, which sends a signal to websites you visit to not collect information about you.
3. Use Privacy-Friendly Browsers: Certain browsers, such as Brave and Firefox
Be Online But Private
1. Use a secure connection: Use a secure connection such as a VPN or a secure browser extension such as HTTPS Everywhere to protect your data from being intercepted.
2. Use strong passwords: Use a unique and complex password for each account and website you use to make it harder for hackers to access your data.
3. Be aware of what you share: Be careful of what information you post online, as it can be used to track your activities.
4. Clear your cookies
Things You Can Do To Protect Online Reputation
1. Monitor your online presence: Regularly search for your name and other personal information online to check for any negative or false information that may be posted about you.
2. Set privacy settings: Use social media and other websites’ privacy settings to limit who can view or access your information.
3. Be mindful of what you post: Be aware of what you post online and how it may be perceived by others.
Best Ways to Block Advertisers
There are a few different ways to block advertisers:
1. Use an ad blocker: Ad blockers are designed to block ads from appearing on websites. Popular ad blockers include AdBlock Plus, uBlock Origin, and Ghostery.
2. Adjust your browser settings: Most browsers allow users to adjust their settings to block or limit the number of ads they see.
3. Block specific websites or domains: You can also block specific websites or domains from showing ads by using
Possibility of Tracking In Incognito Mode
No, advertisers cannot track you in incognito mode. Incognito mode prevents your browsing history from being stored on your computer, which means that advertisers cannot track you. However, your online activity may still be visible to your internet service provider or employer. Additionally, websites may still be able to track you through cookies, web beacons, and other tracking technologies.
Hide Search History On Internet Provider
You can hide your search history from your internet provider by using a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN encrypts your internet traffic and masks your IP address, making it difficult for your internet service provider to track your online activity. Additionally, you can use a web browser that has built-in privacy features, such as Firefox or Chrome, which can help to block tracking cookies and other technologies.
Does VPN Track My History?
No, a VPN does not track your browsing history. Instead, it encrypts your internet traffic and masks your IP address, making it difficult for your internet service provider to track your online activity. Additionally, using a web browser with built-in privacy features, such as Firefox or Chrome, can help to block tracking cookies and other technologies.
Ways To Know If My Online Activity Is Being Tracked
There are a few ways to tell if your online activity is being tracked. The first is to check your browser for any tracking cookies or other technologies that are being used to monitor your activity. You can also check your ISP’s terms of service to see if they are allowed to track your activity. Additionally, you can use a VPN service to encrypt your internet traffic and mask your IP address, making it difficult for your ISP to track your online activity. Finally, you can use a web
Block An Advertiser On Google
You can block an advertiser on Google. To do this, go to the Ad Settings page in your Google Ads account. You can then select the advertiser you want to block and click the “Block” button. This will prevent the advertiser from showing ads on your website.
Completely Block All Ads
There are a few different ways to completely block all ads. The most effective way is to use an ad blocker, such as uBlock Origin, which will block all ads from loading on your computer. Additionally, you can use a web browser extension such as AdBlock Plus to block ads from appearing on websites.
Is my online activity being tracked?
Yes, your online activity is likely being tracked. Many websites and online services use tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing behavior, such as the websites you visit, the pages you view, and the links you click on. This information is then used to target you with personalized ads and content. To protect your privacy, you can use a web browser extension such as Privacy Badger to block tracking technologies and prevent your data from being collected.
Some Ways To Know If Your Browsing Activity Is Tracked
1. Cookies: Cookies are small text files that are stored on your computer by websites you visit. They can be used to track your browsing activity, such as the websites you visit and the pages you view.
2. Web beacons: Web beacons are small images embedded in websites that are used to track your browsing activity.
3. Fingerprinting: Fingerprinting is a technique used to identify a user’s device by collecting information about its hardware and software
Block Online Tracking
Yes, you can block online tracking by using browser extensions such as Privacy Badger, Ghostery, and uBlock Origin. These extensions allow you to block trackers from collecting your data and browsing activity.
Turned Off Tracking
Tracking can be turned off in most browsers by adjusting your privacy settings. You can also use browser extensions to block tracking. Additionally, you can opt out of tracking by some companies by visiting their websites and adjusting your settings.