WIRED's website has outlined various measures that individuals can adopt to prevent tracking while using the internet. What are the most crucial steps among these?
The primary step involves preventing tracking, as this process, often carried out by companies, serves as the primary driver for the advertising industry and technology firms reliant on advertising for revenue. This involves thwarting tracking devices and hidden cookies embedded in websites and apps, which otherwise monitor your activities across the network. Blocking these invisible trackers and ads containing tracking technology is imperative.
Moreover, the site suggests that for utmost anonymity, the Tor browser is the most effective. Easily downloadable like any other browser, Tor encrypts your traffic by routing it through numerous servers, while incorporating anti-censorship, anti-fingerprinting, and additional privacy measures. However, due to its robust protections, Tor might operate slower compared to other browsers.
Simultaneously, several privacy-focused browsers like Firefox, Mullvad, and Brave offer heightened protection against trackers and present customizable privacy settings.
For users disinclined to switch browsers, certain browser extensions can block trackers within Chrome. Both the Ghostery extension and EFF’s Privacy Badger effectively block trackers, with the latter specifically targeting ads that track your online behavior.
Whether on computers or phones, tracking devices embedded in mobile applications can harvest data on your activities. Consequently, it's crucial to disable personalized ads through Google's "My Ad Center" by simply turning the setting off.