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Introduction
Introduction
Living in a digital world requires a solid understanding of how your online activity is tracked and recorded. Knowing how this works can help you protect your privacy. In this chapter, we will discuss the basics of how websites track your movements online, and how to protect your information.
What is Navigation Tracking and How Does it Work?
What is Navigation Tracking and How Does it Work?
Have you noticed that when you go to most websites, a pop-up comes up asking you about cookies? Maybe you’ve seen bars on the bottom of the window with an option saying “do not sell my information”? When you’re online, your browser tracks your clicks and movements from website to website. Websites store cookies, or small data files, on your device along with collecting your IP address and other bits of identifying information. All of this information allows companies to gather data about your interests, habits, and online behavior and use it for targeted advertising. As a user, you often have a choice on how much data you want them to collect, and if you want to receive personalized ads based on this data. This is usually a setting you need to opt out of, so double check the tracking and privacy settings on your various profiles to ensure they are what you want.
Security Concerns
Security Concerns
While navigation tracking can help streamline your internet experience by showing you things you may be interested in, it also raises several security concerns. The collected data about you can be used to create a detailed profile, potentially revealing sensitive information about your life and online habits. This data can also be vulnerable to hackers or data breaches. This is when an unauthorized individual gains access to your browsing history and personal information. Data breaches happen often, and it is important to make sure you use multiple methods of data protection to secure your personal information.
Storing personal information on a device, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or your address also comes with security risks. If your device is lost or stolen, or if you don’t have proper anti-virus software and are a victim of malware, this sensitive information could be compromised. NEVER store your personal information on a publicly used computer like one at school or a library!
Going Incognito
Going Incognito
Different browser programs offer forms of more private web browsing. This is sometimes called private mode or incognito. This type of browser window prevents the browser from saving your history, and storing cookies or other temporary files. While using a private browser doesn’t completely eliminate tracking, it does make it more difficult for websites to track your activity. It is best to use private mode when working with sensitive information, like if you’re doing online banking, or using a publicly shared computer in a place like a library. However, private browsing still doesn’t hide your online activity from your internet service provider or network administrator.
Use the Self Assessment below to test your knowledge before moving on!
Use the Self Assessment below to test your knowledge before moving on!
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