• Home
  • Archive
  • Tools
  • Contact Us

The Customize Windows

Technology Journal

  • Cloud Computing
  • Computer
  • Digital Photography
  • Windows 7
  • Archive
  • Cloud Computing
  • Virtualization
  • Computer and Internet
  • Digital Photography
  • Android
  • Sysadmin
  • Electronics
  • Big Data
  • Virtualization
  • Downloads
  • Web Development
  • Apple
  • Android
Advertisement
You are here: Home » 4 Ways to Cover and Minimize Your Digital Trail

By Abhishek Ghosh August 30, 2021 5:39 pm Updated on August 31, 2021

4 Ways to Cover and Minimize Your Digital Trail

Advertisement

You may have heard the rumours that you are being watched the moment you come online in the age of information and technology. You may not believe it, but yes, it is partially true. Of course, entities are unlikely to watch you literally. Instead, the surveillance might be subtle, like collecting metadata in bulk and analyzing it. None of us is completely invisible or off the grid online, and anyone can be tracked. And even such minor things like metadata can reveal a lot about us.

For example, metadata can reveal where our messages are going and their timestamps. Now imagine if entities have an extensive report containing such data from several years. It is concerning.

As a society with an ever-increasing thirst for knowledge and information, we often forget that what we post on social media is not necessarily private. It can be found by anyone with access to the internet who knows how to do some digging. This leaves us vulnerable to hackers, criminals, marketers, and to anyone who wants to learn more about us than they already do.

Advertisement

---

But, if you want to cover your online history trails, this article can provide you with enough knowledge about it. Below are some ways to make you partially invisible.

Table of Contents

  • 1 Introduction
  • 2 What Traces You Leave Behind
  • 3 Use Incognito Mode
  • 4 Use a Virtual Private Network
  • 5 Delete Browsing Data
  • 6 Tools and Plugins
  • 6 Conclusion

 

What Traces You Leave Behind?

 

When you visit websites, the internet browser saves information about what you do online. It includes all the searches you made, visited websites, etc. It is also important to distinguish between two different traces: passive and active. The latter refers to the digital footprints we leave willingly. For instance, when you post a comment associated with your account on a particular platform. You decided to share it, and all that information you revealed is a deliberate choice.

However, passive digital footprints are left without even realizing it. For instance, our IP addresses are seen by mostly all online entities we encounter. Each website considers your IP address to, say, show particular shipping fees (in the case of an online store).

Thus, we give away a lot without giving consent. And while you can limit the active digital footprints, keeping track of passive ones is tricky. However, it is possible, and we will introduce you to some great solutions you can try right now.

 

Use Incognito Mode/Private Windows

 

This is at least a basic defense. Incognito Mode is present on most popular browsers, and their names are the only difference. Chrome calls it Incognito Mode, Firefox and Safari call it Private Window, and Microsoft Edge calls it InPrivate. Regardless of their names, all of these serve the purpose of not retaining any of your history in the browser.

Incognito mode also saves you from the sites and advertisers who use cookies to track your activities to show you relevant ads. It doesn’t save any cookies on your browser, and even the searches of any products you made are forgotten.

Additionally, when you log in to your social media accounts or login to shopping websites, the id and password you use are not saved. The moment you close that window, you will be logged out of it immediately. However, these incognito options are not foolproof. For instance, network managers can still see what you are doing.

 

Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

 

Using a VPN on Windows or any other operating system is the best trick to keep your tracks hidden from abusers, cybercriminals, and even from your Internet Service Provider. Using VPN will help you hide your IP address as well, which means nobody will get to know your location.

VPNs are different from Incognito modes present in the browsers. A VPN encrypts your entire internet traffic and will allow you to conceal your IP address. The latter is one of the passive digital footprints you share most frequently. Thus, by hiding it from online entities, you will evade IP-based tracking and will not give away your approximate location.

 

Delete Browsing Data

 

This practice is a little tough to perform every day but can save you from getting tracked by any inappropriate person who can misuse that information. It only takes three to four clicks and not more than two minutes to clear all your browsing data, credentials you entered, and the cookies all at once.

Every browser has a section named “History,” you need to open it and look at the options of erasing data. Generally, the available options are, wipe browsing history for the past hour, a day before, previous week, previous month, or delete from the starting. Choose whichever option you need, and you are good to go.

 

Tools and Plugins

 

You can try out some tools and plugins developed dedicatedly to protect you from any cyber-attacks by hiding all your information for extreme-level security. They hide your browsing history, activities, credentials, and even the IP address from everyone.

You can choose one for yourself from the list.

  • Tor Browser: It works on the fundamentals of VPN and bounces your IP address around the globe so that nobody can track you. However, it is rather slow, so your browsing will become sluggish.
  • Tails OS: This is a complete operating system designed for providing serious security to you from miscreants. It is developed based on Incognito mode, but a little more enhanced one. Every time you boot this OS from scratch, without any traces of your previous work.
  • DuckDuckGo: This search engine can provide you extreme privacy by not keeping any of your activity and blocking the sites which track your activities.
4 Ways to Cover and Minimize Your Digital Trail

Click here to view the full sized image

 

Conclusion

 

It is impossible to make your activities completely invisible. The chances are that you will still leave certain passive or active footprints. However, you can minimize these traces if you use the internet cautiously. For instance, remember that everything you post will remain in the digital space for years. Some information has a certain lifespan, but it might be that the information will remain available somewhere. Thus, using privacy-focused browsers, VPNs, operating systems, and other tools will allow you to regain control over your digital identity. But, of course, it is your responsibility to ensure that things go your way.

This Article Has Been Shared 454 Times!

Facebook Twitter Pinterest

Abhishek Ghosh

About Abhishek Ghosh

Abhishek Ghosh is a Businessman, Surgeon, Author and Blogger. You can keep touch with him on Twitter - @AbhishekCTRL.

Here’s what we’ve got for you which might like :

Articles Related to 4 Ways to Cover and Minimize Your Digital Trail

  • How to Properly Optimize a VPN on Windows OS

    The security issues and software incompatibilities could be working against your VPN. Here is How to Properly Optimize a VPN on Windows OS.

  • Differences between FTP and SSH

    You must have heard of FTP and SSH. This article explains the basics of both FTP and SSH in simple language.

  • Fundamentals of Cloud Computing

    Fundamentals of Cloud Computing represents the History, Characteristics, Cloud Computing Models and Implementation of Cloud Computing in separate paragraphs.

  • Dictation Feature in OS X 10.8.3 With Video Guide

    Dictation feature in OS X 10.8.3 with video guide shows how to activate and use Dictation software feature with Siri like icon.It Works Great With Apple EarPod.

  • NGINX Block Anonymous IP Address in Various Ways

    We Sometimes Need to Block Anonymous IP for Security Reason. Here is a Handy Guide to Make NGINX Block Anonymous IP Address in Various Ways.

Additionally, performing a search on this website can help you. Also, we have YouTube Videos.

Take The Conversation Further ...

We'd love to know your thoughts on this article.
Meet the Author over on Twitter to join the conversation right now!

If you want to Advertise on our Article or want a Sponsored Article, you are invited to Contact us.

Contact Us

Subscribe To Our Free Newsletter

Get new posts by email:

Please Confirm the Subscription When Approval Email Will Arrive in Your Email Inbox as Second Step.

Search this website…

 

Popular Articles

Our Homepage is best place to find popular articles!

Here Are Some Good to Read Articles :

  • Cloud Computing Service Models
  • What is Cloud Computing?
  • Cloud Computing and Social Networks in Mobile Space
  • ARM Processor Architecture
  • What Camera Mode to Choose
  • Indispensable MySQL queries for custom fields in WordPress
  • Windows 7 Speech Recognition Scripting Related Tutorials

Social Networks

  • Pinterest (24.3K Followers)
  • Twitter (5.8k Followers)
  • Facebook (5.7k Followers)
  • LinkedIn (3.7k Followers)
  • YouTube (1.3k Followers)
  • GitHub (Repository)
  • GitHub (Gists)
Looking to publish sponsored article on our website?

Contact us

Recent Posts

  • Exploring the Benefits and Advantages of Microsoft’s Operating System March 22, 2023
  • Web Design Cookbook: Accessibility March 21, 2023
  • Online Dating: How to Find Your Match March 20, 2023
  • Web Design Cookbook: Logo March 19, 2023
  • How Starlink Internet Works March 17, 2023

About This Article

Cite this article as: Abhishek Ghosh, "4 Ways to Cover and Minimize Your Digital Trail," in The Customize Windows, August 30, 2021, March 23, 2023, https://thecustomizewindows.com/2021/08/4-ways-to-cover-and-minimize-your-digital-trail/.

Source:The Customize Windows, JiMA.in

PC users can consult Corrine Chorney for Security.

Want to know more about us? Read Notability and Mentions & Our Setup.

Copyright © 2023 - The Customize Windows | dESIGNed by The Customize Windows

Copyright  · Privacy Policy  · Advertising Policy  · Terms of Service  · Refund Policy

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT