The issue of privacy on the net becomes more and more relevant. There are some easy ways to protect yourself starting from the settings of your browser .
Among the quickest ways to protect your privacy we find the use of a search engine different from Google. We refer to DuckDuckGo . This alternative, although it does not guarantee the same amount of results as Google , refuses to track user searches thus guaranteeing their privacy. Among the other valid alternatives we find:
- the deactivation of the autocompletion of passwords ;
- the deactivation of the tracking of the position of the browser;
- the regular cancellation of the browsing history ;
- the deactivation of the automatic completion functions of the search engines;
By surfing the net, companies are able to collect a whole series of data on users. The goal is to outline detailed profiles relating to interests and consequently create accurate advertisements that can attract more attention. The fight against trackers and the advertising industry also involves some precautions that the individual user can do by acting on the privacy settings of the browsers used.
Settings on Chrome
Chrome is one of the most used browsers and one that is less attentive to user privacy .
However, independent developers have thought and created a number of extensions that they intervene in favor of internet users to avoid trackers . Some examples? Cookie Autodelete, Privacy Badger and HTTPS Everywhere . From the Chrome Web Store , on the left there is the item Extensions . From here, in the search bar, you can type the name of the one concerned and proceed with the addition. A dialog box will appear informing you about the permissions of the extension . From the three-dot menu on the right it is also possible to block third-party cookies by selecting Settings, Privacy and security and clicking on Cookies and other site data . From here, you can select the command Block third-party cookies .
Settings on Firefox
Firefox has more effective privacy settings than other browsers, Edge and Chrome for example. On the main menu there is the item Preferences , which contains the setting Privacy and security . Here you can select between the Standard (default), Rigid or Custom modes. The preset mode blocks third party tracking cookies , trackers in private windows and cryptomonitor . Strict setting can compromise navigation on some websites, but it also blocks fingerprints and trackers in all windows. The Custom mode is designed for those who want to precisely control traker blocking.
Settings on Safari
The browser Safari has already set the tool Intelligent Tracking Prevention by default, which performs a good protection function. To check if the tracker blocker is active, once Safari is open, click on Preferences and then on Privacy . The box next to Prevent cross-site tracking must be checked. Safari 14 , among the various functions, is able to detect which advertising trackers are running on the web page you are visiting. It will also be possible to obtain a report of the trackers identified within thirty days . Also on this browser it is advisable to delete cookies . From Preferences, Privacy you can continue with a click on Manage website data and delete the entire list from Remove all ), which is located at the bottom of the screen. For convenience it is possible to block them in advance from the box Block all cookies .
Settings on Brave
The browser Brave blocks all trackers, third-party cookies, ads and fingerprints, maintaining excellent browsing speed. In the main menu of Brave there is the Preferences section, on which there is the Settings panel . To view a list of privacy options, click on Shields . By selecting the advanced view you will have the possibility to choose which types of trackers to block. From here, users will also be able to block embedded content from LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Google , as well as the login buttons.
Settings on Edge
Edge , Microsoft's browser, has options for blocking trackers and protecting privacy. From the three-dot menu icon , located in the upper right corner, you will find the Settings . From the menu that appears, select Privacy and services . From here you can choose between the modes: Basic, Balanced and Rigid . The second is the default. Although the Base does not guarantee the same security, it still offers protection from fingerprinting and cryptomining . The Rigido, on the other hand, has the best level of defense from trackers , but it could interfere with the correct navigation on some websites.
