The Do & Do Nots When Enjoying Online Freedom

Online freedom is a legit growing concern. But for this concern to satisfy, users need more privacy, which is a critical issue, and this is why many users use an Android VPN or iOS VPN on their cellphones, yet there is more to it. Hundreds of companies are striving for your attention on the internet, which means information about your interests and habits is tremendously valuable.

Many companies make a lot of business gathering and trading that information. If you want true online freedom, read this article to find out the actual Dos and Don’ts that no tech company will ever tell you!

Do we need online freedom?

The internet was supposed to be a safe platform for all users, regardless of their location. However, like everything else, the platform also doesn’t follow the ideals. We are being monitored: sometimes by ISPs, otherwise by web trackers and intruders.

Have you ever wondered how and why your online activity is monitored?

The saddest part, it is sold to generate so-called legal as well as illegal money. Yet the main question is, do you even take your online freedom seriously? Because many users don’t.

Then arise monitoring issues, cyber threats, data breaches and identity thefts, and the victims of these cases often suffer a loss of reputation or severe financial damages. Fortunately, several tools can help secure your online freedom.

Dos of online freedom: Steps you should take today

Password management habits

Create strong, unique passwords based on random sequences of alphanumeric and special characters. Users can also choose apps that would handle their password management.

Password managers are services that automatically generate and keep strong passwords for you. These passwords are stored in a centralized and encrypted location, which you can access whenever you need to input them. However, not many users can trust these password managers.

Follow social media etiquette

Follow healthy social media habits and teach the same to your kids. Change social media passwords regularly, avoid engaging with unknown profiles and review your privacy settings every month. Checking the list of friends and followers is also an ideal option.

Further, avoid engaging with posts that aim to bully an individual or group due to geographic or ethnic backgrounds. If you or your children notice over engagement or threatening messages from a specific profile, immediately block, report and inform your local authorities.

Use an Android VPN or iOS VPN on mobile devices

A VPN is the acronym of Virtual Private Network that gives you online anonymity and privacy by generating a private network from a free internet connection. VPNs disguise your (IP) address, so your online activities are virtually unmonitored.

Most essentially, VPN services create secure and encrypted connections to provide greater privacy than a secured Wi-Fi hotspot. Browsing the site or transacting on an unsafe Wi-Fi network means you could be revealing your private data and surfing habits. And because Android cellphones are more prone to attacks, we recommend users install reliable Android VPN.

Although iOS cellphones use secure infrastructures, if you habitually use public Wi-Fi services, consider using an iOS VPN app to protect yourself from the evils of weak networks. VPNs actually build an information tunnel between your local network and an exit link in another location, which could be hundreds of miles far, making it seem like you’re in another place. This benefit allows online freedom or access to your favourite apps and websites while on the go.

Restrict web tracking

Information is in abundance on the internet, and some actual data brokers practice collecting information about users and then selling that details to other parties. Normally, this data is spread around to third parties who solicit specific consumer groups based on their classifications, making this service a multibillion-dollar industry.

Two of the best tools that help you to restrict web tracking are DuckDuckGo and Tutanota. DuckDuckGo blocks tracking cookies that can identify you and your device and even scans and ranks sites’ privacy policies to discourage online monitoring. The latter tool is an email client which encrypts email data, subject lines and attachments in transit to prevent unauthorized access.

Don’ts of Online Freedom: Things to avoid

Social Media or Shopping on public Wi-Fi

Users can connect to an unsecured network within range and without any security feature like a password or login. It is highly recommended that you don’t access private bank accounts, or confidential personal details, on unsafe free networks.

Even safe, free networks can be dangerous. Also, don’t leave your tablet, laptop, or smartphone ignored in a public place. Even if you’re working on a reliable Wi-Fi network, that won’t stop anyone from taking your thing or snooping into your device.

Intruders on weak networks can hijack the session cookies and take over the browsing session from a legit user. They can then make hefty purchases or subscribe to premium services using your shopping profiles. Therefore, if your cellular device does not have an Android or iOS VPN app, it is recommended to not shop via that device on public Wi-FI.

Clicking on malicious links

A malicious link is just a trick for data to be delivered to your device. Websites can build code that redirects you to another site and downloads malware to your device en route to your actual destination. When you click on unverified links or download suspicious apps, you increase the risk of malware exposure.

The same happens when users open an email from an unknown sender, thinking it to be the one from their bank or their social media account.

As they find the user interface quite similar to the original, they input their sensitive information, login IDs and passwords, and this is how they lose data. Therefore, avoid clicking suspicious links, especially if you see them in advertisements and do not open emails from unknown senders.

The Bottomline

Online freedom is crucial for several purposes. You don’t want to give details of your personal life to strangers, and it’s difficult to be sure what private data is gathered and by whom: information collected by one company might be shared with another.

Following these dos and don’ts will definitely help you reclaim your online freedom. Procure your internet freedom today and enjoy your daily browsing experience without any fear of cyberattacks.

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Tags: Online Security , Online Safety, Guest Post