Simple Ways To Improve Digital Privacy

Just Say NO

We have become accustomed to providing a lot of information to interested parties in our day to day lives. Some of this information is essential, but much of it just isn't necessary. Consider applying the following framework when asked to provide personal information

1. How critical is this service? My bank needs to know my date of birth, but perhaps the sandwich shop rewards program doesn't have the same need.

2. What am I getting in return for my personal information and is it worth the trade off?

3. What is the minimum amount of information I need to provide to receive this service?

Break Free from the Matrix (i.e., the Chrome Browser)

I get it; Chrome is pretty great. it's lightning-fast, ensures seamless compatibility with most websites, and has a giant ecosystem of extensions for customization. However, this convenience comes at a steep cost to your online privacy. As a product of Google, Chrome serves as a powerful data vacuum, relentlessly collecting and connecting your browsing history, searches, email activity, and more into a comprehensive user profile. This "big data soup" enables targeted advertising, behavioral tracking, and potential data sharing with third parties, often without your consent or awareness.

The silver lining? You don't have to sacrifice speed or functionality. Privacy-respecting alternatives like Brave, Vivaldi, or Firefox (many built on Chrome's open-source Chromium foundation) offer similar performance while prioritizing user control by blocking trackers by default, minimizing data collection, and leaving your data in your control. Changing your browser is one of the simplest ways you can improve your online privacy