Everyone has the right to privacy online – but sometimes it might seem like you are constantly being watched. Don’t panic! The good news is that you do not need to be a computer or internet tech expert to have a minimal online footprint. Research shows that over 51% of internet users use incognito or private mode. This article highlights simple ways and techniques to help you remain anonymous and keep a low online profile. 

1. Hide your location with a secure VPN

Although encrypted email and chat applications are handy, they do not conceal your position. This can give critical information linking your offline identification to your online activity. A VPN that does not share your data with third parties is a critical tool for hiding your IP address and the range of information it reveals. It encrypts your data and hides your genuine IP address, allowing you to access the internet without jeopardizing your identity or security. You need a VPN to protect you from Wi-Fi monitoring on unsecured networks and provide a dependable solution to evade geo-blocking. It is, therefore, necessary to search online on how to use a VPN to change IP address on iPhone if that is the type of mobile device you use.

2. Use a password manager to reduce the risk of a data breach

Online anonymity is based on keeping your digital self’s data bits distinct. If you use the same password for numerous accounts and one is compromised due to a private data breach, your other accounts are at risk, too. Maybe you are finding it difficult to create and remember a unique and strong password for all your accounts online. This should not be a problem because you can always use a trusted password manager app to do these tasks, immediately boosting your account security. These tools are now simple to use and operate on all devices. There will be no more need to interrupt your work to recover them. These applications take the burden of being concerned about duplicate or repeated passwords that expose your account. 

3. Make use of anonymous search engines

Unlike traditional options, anonymous search engines do not record or retain search queries, so they do not create a profile based on your online activity. Due to the lack of monitoring, some search engines do not offer tailored adverts. They do not disclose your personal information with third parties and either do not log IP addresses or anonymize them before recording to further protect privacy. DuckDuckGo, Searx, and StartPage are examples of anonymous search engines.  Each of these search engines offers a varying amount of security and anonymity. As a result, you should utilize them in tandem. 

4. Disable browser cookies 

Cookies are little files that websites save on your computer to follow your online activities, potentially risking your privacy. Turning off cookies will enhance your online anonymity. You may immediately turn off cookies in popular browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari by altering the settings. This decreases the possibility of online espionage by preventing websites from obtaining and tracking your data. Switching to incognito mode in your browser or selecting a “do not track signal” under privacy and security are two more ways to hide your online activity. This prevents websites from monitoring your data but keeps your IP address. 

5. Make use of an ad blocker

Ad blockers are browser extensions that block intrusive advertisements while typically concealing tracking cookies and scripts. Turning off these adverts may prevent these sites from monitoring your online activities. A good ad blocker should work on all browsers, including Chrome, Safari, and Firefox. It should successfully block pop-up advertising and other features, preventing hackers from accessing your computer or gathering personal information without your permission. Check whether your search browser includes an ad-blocking add-on to improve online privacy. If you do not have one, you can download one. 

6. Use signal

Signal is the best-in-class encrypted messaging software that allows you to exchange text messages, voice calls, and voice notes. It looks and feels like any other chat software. Still, it utilizes strong and reliable encryption that not even the National Security Agency can brute force, as far as research suggests. So, how about the metadata? For starters, any network-level enemy can detect you are using Signal. If your adversary is the United States or the Five Eyes, they have mass surveillance access to all signal traffic and know who is talking to whom, when, and for how long. 

Have you used any of these things? If not, which one do you think will you likely use in the future if you want to be anonymous on the internet?