This post is for readers who have not taken any browsing privacy measures. Do you know if your web search provider saves the IP address of every search? Do you use tools to block tracking by web sites?
Not sure? Then read on.
Even the intellectually slowest internet reporters have acknowledged that privacy might be important to users and web sites with great advice are readily available. But there are many users who are simply overwhelmed by the information and the tools.
Having been asked frequently "how can I get some privacy without enlisting expert help", we set out to find one search engine for improved privacy in web searches and one tool that restricts which sites track your browsing.
First, use Firefox as your web browser.
One search engine
We recommend Ixquick.com. Go to the page, set it as your homepage.
We love the short version of their privacy policy: Ixquick does not collect or share any personal information! Nada. Zilch. Nothing.
Now, perform your first search, type BBC. See the word "proxy" next to the web address?
The BBC page opens but the BBC or anybody trying to track you will not get the address of your internet connection. They only see the address of a server "in the middle" provided by Ixquick, in technical terms "a proxy".
Ixquick will disable javascript and forms when showing a page through the proxy, which you do not want if you go shopping online but for simple browsing, this is great.
One tool to stop trackers
You will now install an extension module for Firefox. There are many great extensions for different purposes. You may, for example, have heard of AdBlock for blocking ads on web pages you visit.
But you want to do more. You want to prevent sites like facebook, twitter, or google from tracking you, and you want others who grab your browsing habit to grab, well, nothing. The devious thing about browsing is: they sit there and wait, they do not need your permission to store what pages you visit.
And there are thousands of such sites.
In Firefox, click on Tools, then Add-ons.
On the Get Add-on page, type Disconnect in the Search box, like so:
You will get a results page like this. There may be more items than on our example page, but the only one we want will be there: Disconnect. The version number may be different by the time you read this, that's fine.
From now on, you will see the icon "D" with a number in your Firefox bar.
If you click on the downward arrow next to the D, you will get details about what the extension has blocked.
You are now preventing about two thousand sites from tracking your browsing habits, and your search history is yours again. This does not make you "invisible" or fully anonymous
There is a lot more you can do, like installing more tools, learning encryption or giving your iPhone to your worst enemy.
Let us know what you think about this post and what you would like to do next - other than the iPhone giveaway.
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