Bristol Community College Library Learning Commons: Online Privacy and Your Digital Footprint: Minimize online tracking on web browsers

Digital Privacy as Practice

Data is a lucrative business! Companies and other parties want your data!

You should practice different ways to protect your data. There are several techniques to help you do that:

Decide which browser to use for your internet activity. Some browsers are better at protecting your data than others.
Install and update browser extensions
Actively reject unnecessary cookies
Install a VPN
Continually keep tabs on developing data collection trends

This Data Detox Kit offers step by step instructions to get you started on changing settings across your devices. You can start here if you are looking for basic steps to take as you begin to "lock down" your digital footprint!

Web Broswer Privacy

About Chrome

The web browser Chrome is a web browser built and maintained by Google. This has become the favored web browser for many due to its ease of use with other Google products and customizability through extensions. This does have its advantages when it comes to user experience, but that can come at the cost of privacy.

Data Privacy Practices on Google Products
This is the guide that Google publishes on their data privacy practices.
Why You Shouldn’t Use Google Chrome After New Privacy Disclosure
This article is a critique on how Google uses unique identifiers across platforms and devices to link all your activity together as one user.

Dig deeper

Since Google is part of a corporation owned by Alphabet Inc, you can look up their company information such as revenues and subsidiaries in Business Information Databases.

Use Business Source Complete to find the MarketLine Company Profile and learn more about the revenue going to the company that owns this browser.

About Firefox

Firefox is a free and open source web browser developed by Mozilla. Much of their marketing touts their focus and commitment on privacy. Though it is worth noting that Google is a substantial financial contributor to this browser, which does raise some eyebrows. Nevertheless, it is a tool to use outside the google suite of products. The privacy on Firefox can be boosted through a suite of trusted extensions, more on that further down the page.

Mozilla Firefox Install
Mozilla Privacy Policies
This is an overview of how Mozilla uses, stores, and shared your personal information written by Mozilla.

Dig Deeper

Firefox is developed by the Mozilla Foundation. Typically when an entity is called a foundation, that's an indicator that it's a nonprofit organization. Other indicators are if you see that an entity is labeled as a 501(c)3. Information about nonprofits can be found in their own set of databases. Checkout GuideStar Pro, a database through the Boston Public Library, (you will need a BPL eCard to utilize the database and you can sign up here for FREE).

GuideStar Pro - This resource provides information and data on nonprofit organizations.

Enhance privacy on your browser through extensions

Installing browser extensions are additional measures you can take to reduce intrusive ads you see online. Below are three extensions to consider installing if you're concerned about trackers following across websites.

Privacy Badger
Privacy Badger is an extension that tracks who's tracking you through the web. When content from a source shows up too frequently, Privacy Badger blocks that source from continuing to load.
Privacy Possum
This github page explains in detail how this extension works. The main tactic they use is to make the data companies harvest less profitable. The Chrome version of this extension was disabled, unfortunately.
uBlock Origin
This extension is a bulked up ad blocker. It works by filtering what's acceptable to load and what isn't. This keeps your load speeds higher than it would be with other ad block extensions.

Dig deeper

Much like with the web browsers above, browser extensions can also betray your digital privacy. Use the same techniques mentioned above to dig deeper into those developing the browsers recommended. This will require a little more digging to find out the developers. Hint: About pages are a great place to start.

Make sure that your browser's settings reflect your privacy preferences. You can do this by setting security parameters in your browsers. Pay attention to:

cookies
browsing history / cached websites
pop-ups
location tracking
saved credit card information
JavaScript
and use an Ad-blocker, if possible

CalTech offers comprehensive advice on what to turn off for improved privacy. WikiHow gives directions for Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari; and Consumer Reports has an article on Google Chrome privacy settings.

Some browsers offer a "private" or "incognito" search mode (available in Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Microsoft Internet Explorer).

Using the web in this mode will interfere with some functions that require identity tokens (filling in forms, using pop-ups or cookies, etc,) - you might decide that is a fair trade-off. The University of Michigan has posted quick links to private browsing here, and the National Network to End Domestic Violence's Technology Tips has more details.

Check your privacy security - test for webtracking with Electronic Frontier Foundations' Panopticlick tool.

Panopticlick

What is a VPN and why should I use one?

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. It is a tool that creates an "encryption tunnel" that masks your IP Address from the site you're visiting. This keeps your Internet Service Provider and anyone else connected to the same wifi connection from directly accessing your internet activity and any information they can glean from it, including your financial information and physical location.

In 2023, Forbes listed 8 reasons to use a VPN

Secure Wifi connections that aren't password protected
Data Privacy from your Internet Service Provider
Data privacy from apps you have installed
Protect you from government surveillance
Access content restricted in certain regions
Secure sensitive information when working from home
Protects vulnerable devices such as phones and tablets
Potentially save money on services such as plane tickets

Which VPN should I get?

The shortlist of five VPNs listed in the Freedom of the Press Foundation's In-depth Guide to Choosing a VPN

Mullvad
Mozilla VPN
IVPN
ProtonVPN
Surfshark

This list is based off of technical standards, protocols, and policies. You might also want to consider subscription costs, number of devices each account supports, and speed. Looking at multiple sources when deciding on privacy tools is important. In addition to the list above, take a look through RestorePrivacy.com's 2023 review of VPNs as well!

A note about cost considerations: "As a general rule, if the VPN is free, you are probably the product, so stay away" Privacy is Power: Why and How you should take back control of your data, pg 204. This is one of those situations where security costs, so you'll want to pay monetarily, and not through sharing even more of your data with a "free" VPN service.

It's worth noting Bristol has a vpn for employees, this option is for ensuring secure access to college specific resources off campus. Get in touch with IT if you work with secure information.