Future online Privacy is the current issue haunting US citizens after President Trump scraped the Obama-era privacy rules. In summer 2017, with strong objections and criticism US President officially signed an abrogation letter to repeal the existing privacy laws. According to the white house, repealing is good for internet providers and a threat for privacy advocates. This repealing action is giving more burden on internet providers while leaving large internet companies free to collect user data without their consent; giving user information to the highest bidder.

Previously, internet providers were given more responsibility to protect online policy than the websites and consumers has more control over their privacy. Now internet providers are given access to obtain consumer information including precise geolocations, financial information, web browsing history, and health information, for the sake of advertising and marketing. When this marketing purpose turned into intelligence surveillance; God knows.

Although broadband providers do offer user’s’ browsing behavior with advertisers to opt out, now it has been legalized; it’s easier to switch websites to remain protective but switching internet provider is difficult. How a user can hide internet activities from internet provider? You can’t simply turn down your internet service provider easily.

If you are a US citizen, your online privacy protection had totally wiped out so if you are planning to buy underwear, then be ready to share your favorite color, size and fabric with a large number of marketers right out there. Don’t worry! We don’t want your purchasing behavior to be used to make money out of it.

Big data spread in our lives has become one of the most used concepts in the technological world, it is a double-edged sword; whether justified or not. It contributes to fighting malware but also providing personal information to the hackers; it can save your life in your healthcare but is destructive at the same time. Your internet provider and other apps and websites collect data every now and then, it’s difficult to avoid such acts completely. However, you can still practice some measures to protect your buying behaviors from marketers and advertisers.

• Check your security and privacy settings:

These days almost every other app detects your physical location, we strongly encourage not to allow any app such credentials. Simply select privacy tab and opt location services, there you can completely disable the option or modify for selected apps. In addition, you can also control the apps’ accessibility of your device information like contacts, reminders, and calendar.

• Download anti-cookie and anti-tracking extension:

Such extensions are in the spotlight these days like; Disconnect, Adblock plus and others. These browser extensions make you invisible from the digital world. Different browsers have different extensions with an aim to block user-consent violation ads and/or trackers.

• Use a VPN software:

Reasons to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is huge, keeping your threats into consideration; VPN is the easy and comprehensive solution to suspend internet providers to record your digital footprints. A lot of US citizens opted for VPNs soon after this bill came into effect.

• Unlink your accounts:

Many websites’ requests you to link your accounts with them and it seems convenient to use Facebook and Google account’s credentials to register on different websites; it poses more risks. If one account is hacked, other becomes vulnerable and with this, all your personal data stored in different accounts gets threatened. Same applies to Google accounts; it is highly recommended not use more than one Google account at one point in time.

• Use social media consciously:

Social media just becomes our bestest friend; many times we overshare our thoughts and emotions without being aware of shortsightedness. We put our personal data into these giant data keepers and think it’s ok; at the end of the day it’s a technology and it’s easy to find someone of Social Media with just one photo or thought posted. Your buying behavior can also be easily determined with your product feedbacks or via any status.

Authorities in the higher echelons had already repealed the existing policies of online privacy and very soon will amend net neutrality rules. It ’s high time for you to take care of your own privacy; learn some basics to prevent your internet provider to collect your data and keep the possible consequences of your actions in question.

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