We explain what are the best tricks to achieve private browsing. By following one or several of them you will improve your privacy on the Internet.
This is a comprehensive guide dedicated to privacy on the Internet. If you are looking for a way to achieve private browsing, stay with us. We are going to show you which are the most effective tricks to achieve a certain degree of anonymity on the network. On the other hand, you will also find some proposals to improve your habits in terms of privacy.
To keep things simple, we have ordered each and every one of the methods collected here by the difficulty of application. First, we show you the simplest actions. Then, we will recommend other more difficult tricks to apply. However, all of them will help you achieve private browsing. Let’s start!
Activate incognito mode in your browser
Activating the incognito mode of the browser is the first step to enjoying greater privacy on the Internet. But how exactly does it work?
Imagine for a moment that your browser has two containers. In the first one, there is personal information written down, such as your email accounts, the name of the bank of which you are a client, and much more. This container is the one that is commonly used when browsing the Internet.
On the other hand, the second container is completely empty. It’s incognito mode. Despite the fact that when you browse with it, the container fills up with cookies and other files that are used to create a profile about you when you close the session, the container is deleted. When you reopen an incognito session, a completely empty container is used.
In view of this, incognito mode is useful to avoid continuous monitoring by large Internet advertising companies. Each private window that opens is completely clean and does not contain any personal data.
Incognito mode is available in all popular browsers.
change browser
Incognito mode is useful to make it more difficult for outside companies to track you. However, the owner of the browser can still learn certain patterns of your browsing, even in a private window.
Therefore, in addition to taking advantage of this resource, if you are looking for private browsing, it is best to choose a web browser that is more respectful of your personal information.
If you’re looking for a balanced experience, Firefox is the safe bet. Conversely, if you want more privacy protection, you’ll love Brave. And, for the most demanding, Tor Browser is the best option.
Commitment to services that respect the privacy
Browsing the Internet is continually giving up data. Sometimes, it is even the user himself who does it voluntarily.
Storage platforms, such as Google Drive or Dropbox, social networks, such as Instagram or TikTok, or search engines, such as Google or Bing, are not the best examples of privacy.
DuckDuckGo is a search engine that does not track you. OpenStreetMap is an open-source solution that stands up to Google Maps. ProtonDrive helps you store encrypted files and Mastodon is a decentralized social network.
We do not want to deceive you. All of these alternatives are very good, but possibly not as good as the services they are intended to replace. Sometimes it is necessary to sacrifice functionalities to have more privacy.
Install an anti-tracking extension
There are several extensions that prevent large corporations from tracking you while you browse. One we love is Privacy Badger, available in most browsers.
Its operation is very simple. First, it sends a do not track request that the trackers may or may not accept. In case the request is accepted, the extension itself learns to block the trackers.
Additionally, this extension blocks other elements that often violate privacy, such as sharing buttons on social networks or comment boxes. By default, they remain disabled and only if the user clicks on them are they enabled.
Avoid giving your personal email
Another way for companies to identify you is by email. It is obvious that thanks to this data, it is easy to cross information between sites. How to avoid giving your email on according to which pages?
Our recommendation is that you go to a temporary email service. There are several and they all work the same. For example, with 10 Minute Mail, you have an account at your fingertips for ten minutes. Then it is permanently deleted.
It is necessary to clarify that these services do not usually allow sending emails. Rather, they are to receive messages, such as confirmation when registering in a forum or on a website.
Use a VPN
With the incognito mode, you prevent some companies from creating a profile about you. By choosing a private browser, you prevent the developer from benefiting from your personal information. But, what about your Internet operator? In all those cases, your provider will know which sites you visit and for how long.
The best way to prevent this is by encrypting your connection. This is achieved thanks to the best free and paid VPNs on the market right now. The image above helps you understand how this service protects your privacy, although we recommend that you read more about what a VPN is to have all the information.
Close your internet accounts
Finally, if what you are looking for is the greatest anonymity on the network, the ideal thing is that you have the fewest number of public accounts created on social or service platforms. Consider closing your Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram profile entirely. Or, at the very least, check if there are options to make your profile private.
Another option is to ask Google to remove personal data from searches. You can do it by going to this official page and answering some questions.
Bonus track: download another operating system
Everything we have explained to you allows you to achieve private browsing and safeguard your personal information as much as possible. Now, you should know that if you use Windows or macOS, you are still being spied on by their respective developers. What is the solution? Take the leap to Linux.
However, before doing so, consider testing this system in a virtual machine or by running it Live. So you will know if it meets all your needs.
And you, what methods do you use to enhance private browsing in your case? Leave us your comments below. We read you!