Online spying is more common than ever. Whether you create a new business or you are a popular online figure, hackers will most likely target you at some point. Rival companies might employ hackers to do it.
In the case of popular YouTube, Instagram, or other social media platforms, a rival competitor might also employ a hacker to destroy your image. There is also the possibility that a hacker might be a stalker and intentionally target you due to your looks.
Online spying can be used by your Internet Service Provider (ISP), your government, or other companies that want to target you with specific ads or other purposes. But how can you stay away from online spying and hackers and protect your online privacy? Here is what you should know!
One Search Engine To Rule Them All?
Google collects data from all its users around the world. The company does this for its digital advertising business. However, third parties might access that information and use it against you.
It would be best to use private search engines to ensure that your privacy and what you search online aren’t stored up somewhere. They are an efficient way of staying safe online and will stop websites from collecting cookies.
Some examples of private search engines include searX, Startpage, Qwant, and MetaGer, but plenty of others exist. Though they won’t offer the same interface and results as Google, they shine when it comes to privacy.
The Magic of VPNs
Perhaps the best method to stay safe online and gain true privacy is using VPNs. A VPN is a virtual private network. It hides your actual network and replaces it with a false one somewhere else.
This way, even your Internet Service Provider, government, and online trackers and websites won’t be able to access your data. It is among the most efficient tools to stay away from hackers.
You can combine a VPN with private search engines for even more outstanding results. Some VPNs have additional safety features, such as the killswitch.
It is a feature that disconnects you from the internet if your VPN isn’t working. You can also use a VPN to change your geo-location and make it appear as if you are from somewhere else in the world.
For example, if you use a VPN Canada server, but physically you’re located in France, whoever might detect your IP will see that you are from Canada instead of France. By changing your geo-location, you also gain access to content that might be restricted in your country.
The Danger of Public WiFis
Another reason many people are easy to spy on online is because they commonly use public WiFis, which are unsafe connections. Many cybercriminals use public WiFis to steal bank details and social security information. It’s easy to forget your phone on detecting available connections, pass through a random building, and automatically connect to a public WiFi.
You never know who is behind that WiFi connection. However, this is where you can also use a VPN to stay safe. A VPN will encrypt your online data wherever you may go.
How Browser Extensions Spy on You
People commonly use browser extensions for various reasons. However, these extensions can also spy on you and collect sensitive information, such as passwords, bank balance, IP address, and location.
To stay away from this type of online spying, always check the privacy policies of these extensions before installing them. Or better, get rid of them entirely!