You take out your mobile and open a social network, a web browser, an email manager, a streaming music platform. You turn on the laptop, and you start watching Netflix or shopping on Amazon. You take the PS4 or Xbox One controller and play online. Every comment you post, every ‘like’ you give, every photo you share, everything you buy … Every time you go online, you leave a trace. That trace is called a ‘fingerprint’, and everyone has it.
The Fingerprint
Your data tracking reveals a detailed picture of who you are and what you like. This data is valuable and is often monetized through services and applications “free” like Facebook, Google and Twitter. When you log in, you are tracked on every page you visit. According to experts from the antivirus firm Avast, there are costs and benefits that come with your data tracking. For example, when sites know what you like, you see more relevant ads for products and services that appeal to you.
When you allow cookies on websites, they remember what you have seen or clicked on and can make your visit faster and less repetitive.
But everything has its dark side, and other sites and platforms can “search or share elements of your fingerprints. And something you thought you were sending as a private message can easily be shared with a wider audience, which can be embarrassing or hurtful. Worst of all: once it’s on the Internet, it lives there forever. “
Activity data log
Here’s how it works: When you visit a website, andIt collects information about you by setting cookies on your phone, tablet or computer browser. This information includes your IP address (Internet Protocol – a unique address that identifies a device on the Internet or a local network), your login details, and anything else about yourself that you reveal or post about yourself.
When you choose to post on social media platforms, subscribe to newsletters or text alerts, or agree to install cookies by clicking “Accept” on a cookie consent banner on a website, “you are leaving a data record of your activity. Your fingerprint is basically your online reputation. It can be helpful or harmful. What you say online can affect your daily life “.
How can we clean it, or at least make that trace, that trace, more positive? This is what Avast advises us:
Search your name
Put yourself in the shoes of those who want to know more about you. Whether they’re recruiters, hackers, or vengeful ex-partners, it’s important that you know what they’ll find just by looking for it. Use multiple search sites as they can produce different results.
Delete your public data
Real estate websites and whitepages.com may have more information about you than you might want to be available to the public. We are talking about personal information like your phone number, age and even your home address. Get in touch with those websites and delete that information.
Audit your accounts
During your name search, you may have come across old social media accounts, insensitive and outdated joke posts, or embarrassing blog posts where you shared too much of your personal life. Culture changes and you deserve to change to improve with it. Discover everything you have published and evaluate it with new eyes.
Archive and delete
After evaluating your posts for privacy risks and negative content, it’s time to edit and delete. Close all accounts that are not beneficial to your reputation (both now and in the future). Remember, some content can never be completely removed. Even if you think it’s private, law enforcement and hackers can still dig up things you don’t want shared. It’s best to never share negative posts in the first place. Internet is permanent.
Adjust privacy settings
Check your account settings in your browser and mobile applications. Minimize the exposure of your personal data by limiting what people can see. This includes your photos, posts, location, and personal information, such as your address or date of birth.
Clean your browser history
Even if you think that all the websites you have visited have been “safe” for your reputation, it is a good idea to clear your browsing history regularly. We can show you how to do it easily. Better Internet privacy prevents history tracking and helps your browser run faster.
Clean your computer
Temporary files, duplicate files, files you thought you might have thrown in the trash, and low-resolution photos can slow down your computer and also create a security risk. Follow our guide for Mac or PC to get your computer up and running quickly.
Clean your phone
The more you use your phone, the more garbage you will collect. Old text messages, cookies, images, and browser history data take up a lot of storage space. If the data does not exist, it cannot be used against you. Also, your phone works better. Clean things up every few weeks. Use our guides to help clean your iPhone or Android phone.
Be aware of others
You can create a bad reputation online without typing a single word. Think before sharing / republishing negative content. When you post again, your words and ideas become yours. Be especially careful with humor on sensitive topics like race, religion, and politics. When posting original photos, remember that some people have different levels of privacy online than you. Ask permission before tagging other people online, or ask your friends to tag themselves.
.
