There are several steps to ensure that your online activity is safe. There are a number of things that you'll need to change to ensure online safety to the highest degree. Some steps are easier than others and some will take huge amounts of discipline and will power to be able to accomplish.
1. Use a computer, not a mobile device.
Besides emails, all internet activity should be limited to full computers. The biggest reason is that with computers like PC, Mac, or Linux etc, are more fully capable of blocking AI (Artificial Intelligence), Ads, and identity tracking types of software with Adblocking plugins, VPN software, overlay blockers and other tools. Another reason is that pretty much all mobile apps are designed to track your usage, and are submitted to software that uses AI to determine what you might like or might do next. Want to see what I'm talking about? On any Android mobile device, go to the Google Play Store and pretty much every single app that exists will usually state that it contains ads. Even when it doesn't say "contains ads" that app will probably force you to pay for the App and spend money. The same could be said for the Apps in the Apple AppStore.
Just a couple of quick examples would be common apps like Facebook, or YouTube. The mobile versions of these apps were designed to try to subject you to advertisements based on your tracked internet activity. They do not prevent blocking of ads and purposely don't have mobile tools to block them. For years I've tried. The blocking tools are just not as available or not available at all on mobile platforms. So if you are using any kind of internet activity on a smartphone, tablet, or mobile device, the chances are very high that you will get bombarded with ads on pretty much every app that exists on those platforms.
However, browsing the full-site versions of Youtube, and Facebook on a full computer grants the ability to install security features on the internet browser. Only on a full computer can you block advertisements via Adblocking plugins, VPN software, overlay blockers and other tools.
2. Use Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome as your main internet browser on the computer.
There are several other comparable browsers but these are the two options that will allow you the security you need to block ads and tracking.
3. The list of plugins or extensions that you will need are as follows:
A.) Adblock - Firefox version. Adblock - Chrome version.
B.) Adblock Plus - Firefox version. Adblock Plus - Chrome version.
C.) Adblocker for YouTube - Firefox version. Adblocker for YouTube- Chrome version.
D.) Poper Blocker - Firefox version. Poper Blocker - Chrome version.
E.) Adblocker for Facebook - Firefox version.
F.) FB Purity (Adblocker for Facebook) - Chrome version.
Each of these plugins requires a tiny bit of configuring, but they are pretty straight forward as soon as you click and install them.
The biggest challenge here is switching all internet activity over to a computer and not using our super convenient handheld devices. This is just one way to help minimize our online presence and keep our information safe.
Every time you sign up for a mobile app with your email and username, you are potentially setting yourself up for getting more ads and are sharing your personal information to each app and the AI that is behind them.
4. Use a VPN.
A Virtual Private Network is a service that hides your original IP address, and geo-location. There's a tonne out there that usually cost a monthly or annual subscription. Just search the internet for "personal use VPN". Some people will work for companies that can share their corporate VPN to remote workers so that when they use internet, the internet traffic gets funneled back to the company network, which is usually backed by several more layers of security.
5. Use Qwant instead of Google.
Qwant (https://www.qwant.com) is an internet search engine that does not track usage. It will not keep a history of your user account, it will not keep your history of searches, it will not track you. It will not leave any digital footprints that make it easier for AI to access your personal usage statistics or information.
- Qwant - Firefox extension. Qwant - Chrome extension.
6. Use NewPipe instead of YouTube on Android mobile devices.
If you absolutely must access YouTube content on an Android mobile device then NewPipe is the best ad-free alternative. It uses the YouTube API, which essentially means that it is actually YouTube, but without commercial interference. NewPipe also has some awesome features like 'Background Play" which allows you to listen to just the audio of the video, while the screen on your device is locked and blacked out. It is absolutely amazing for music playlists from YouTube. Unfortunately Apple iPad and iPhone users are out of luck here. For older legacy Android devices, an alternate build is also available here (NewPipe).
