How to Stay Anonymous on the Internet in 12 Steps

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The internet can be a fun and social experience, but it can also have a dark side. In this digital age, protecting your information is more critical than ever. The web can leave you open to danger when your information is not protected, like malware and cybercriminals attempting to steal your identity. Whenever you shop online, browse a site or check your social media, websites track and collect data on your online preferences, search history and web activities.

Maintaining online anonymity is a priority, as you are at constant risk of online tracking, surveillance and data breaches when using the web. Staying anonymous online helps safeguard you from cyberattacks and keeps your online activities hidden from malicious hackers. 

Although it’s impossible to stay 100% anonymous online, we’ll cover 12 surefire steps to staying as anonymous on the internet as possible, ensuring your online activities remain private and secure.

1. Disable Browser Cookies

Cookies are tiny files that websites store on your computer to track your online actions, jeopardizing your privacy. You can increase your online anonymity by turning off cookies. By changing the settings, you can quickly disable cookies in common browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Safari. Doing this reduces the chance of online spying by stopping websites from gathering and tracking your data.

To block cookies in Google Chrome, for example:

  1. Open Chrome
  2. Click the three vertical dots (kebab menu) in the top right corner
  3. Click Settings, and a new window will open
  4. Click the Privacy and Security tab
  5. Click the Third-party cookies tab
  6. Turn on “Block third-party cookies.”

Additional methods of hiding your online activity include switching to incognito mode in your browser or enabling a “do not track signal” under privacy and security. This will prevent websites from tracking your data but will still record your IP address. 

2. Use an Ad Blocker

Ad blockers are browser add-ons that block invasive adverts, frequently hiding tracking cookies and scripts. By blocking these ads, you can prevent these sites from tracking your online actions. A proper ad blocker should be compatible across all browsing platforms like…

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