[Tools & Services] Discover How Much You're Being Tracked Online with Cover Your Tracks

What:

Cover Your Tracks, a privacy tool by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)

Why:

To identify and mitigate the extent of online tracking and fingerprinting by your browser

Alert:

Online tracking is pervasive, capturing your digital footprints to create unique user profiles that can be exploited for targeted advertising, identity theft, or surveillance.

Impact:

Without awareness and protective measures, your online activities can be tracked and profiled, potentially leading to privacy breaches and identity theft.

Action:

1. Test Your Browser: Visit the Cover Your Tracks website and run a test to assess how much data your browser collects and whether it offers strong tracking protection.
2. Use Privacy-Focused Browsers: Consider using browsers like DuckDuckGo, Vivaldi or Brave, which offer strong protection against web tracking by blocking tracking ads and randomizing digital trails.
3. Install Tracker Blockers: Add extensions such as Privacy Badger or Ghostery to your browser to block trackers. Be aware that compatibility may vary across different browsers.
4. Enable Built-In Protections: Make use of the built-in privacy features in your browser. For enhanced privacy, use incognito mode frequently.
5. Clear Cookies Regularly: Develop a routine to delete cookies and browser history to minimize tracking.
6. Consider a VPN: Use a reputable paid VPN service to further protect your online activities from being tracked.

By taking these steps, you can significantly reduce the footprint of your online activities and protect your privacy in an increasingly monitored digital world.