Protecting your Personal Data from Businesses
Hi, Ciarán once again. Following on from my previous blog on how Information Systems are used by businesses via Cookies. This blog will give a few quick and easy ways on how you can protect your information online from Businesses. Two of the simplest ways are editing Cookie permissions and VPNs.
Cookie Permissions
One of the easiest ways to edit your cookies is by editing the types of cookies you allow browsers to use.
For example, here’s Google Chromes settings on editing cookies. Since cookies are essential, it’s generally recommended that you block 3rd Party Cookies.
There’s a ‘Do Not Track’ feature that most browsers have. It sends ‘a special signal to websites, analytics companies, ad networks, plug in providers, and other web services you encounter while browsing, to stop tracking your activity’. However, this is a request and the reality is a lot of the time this signal is ignored. It’s no harm anyway so you might as well enable it. (Bacchus, 2021)
You could also manage cookie preferences in a lot of websites themselves. The above one is Facebooks. Ironically, they act like this 3rd party cookie tracker is a great feature and should be used.
VPN
Virtual Private Networks or VPNs are a way of setting up a secure connection between you and the internet. They basically encrypt and scramble your web traffic and IP address (Your unique electronic device ID). They prevent you from being tracked and therefore cannot be targeted by personalised ads. Anyone trying to track your data will see it all as gibberish.
VPNs are also used by consumers for unethical purposes like torrenting movies, but I’m not suggesting that! I’d highly recommend one to protect your data being used by businesses. There’s many free ones out there but I’d suggest using a premium one like NORD VPN or doing your own investigating into one.
Why Protect Yourself
You might think getting targeted ads from places like ASOS and Amazon is harmless and cookies aren’t all that bad. However, although unproven, it has long been suspected that Airlines and Hotels will increase the price of flights and rooms based on your cookies. Consistent visits to their sites raise their prices encouraging you to book before it gets too expensive. Using a metasearch engine and travel agent like Skyscanner and Komodo can help offset this but its still generally recommended by most travel saving tips websites to change browser or cache cookies
Incognito Mode
According to Google Chrome, Incognito mode means ‘none of your browsing history, cookies and site data, or information entered in forms are saved on your device. This means your activity doesn’t show up in your Chrome browser history, so people who also use your device won’t see your activity.’ This is a setting you can enable to help not track cookies. But like all things on the Internet, nothing is private. Alphabet itself (Owners of Google) is currently engaged in a lawsuit worth 5 billion euro, where Google still kept track of your search history and what websites you viewed to help targeted ads. You can read more about that here(Malathi, 2021). The next blog I’ll discuss will be specific companies like Facebook and Apple’s dealings with unethical information systems.
References
Bacchus, A., 2021. Millions of People Use ‘Do Not Track’ Tool Which Does Nothing | Digital Trends. [online] Digital Trends. Available at:
<https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/do-not-tracking-tools-do-nothing/#:~:text=Millions%20of%20people%20are%20using,specific%20ads%20on%20the%20web.> [Accessed 17 March 2021].
Malathi, N., 2021. Bloomberg — Are you a robot?. [online] Bloomberg.com. Available at:
<https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-13/google-must-face-suit-over-snooping-on-incognito-browsing> [Accessed 17 March 2021].
