How to Improve Your Privacy in 2020
With 2019 behind us, we can take a look at everything that has happened over the previous twelve months. The year behind us saw even more significant online advances, yet it also continued the trend of decreasing user privacy and data control at unprecedented rates. But, instead of mentioning the possible mistakes you should avoid online as most sites do, we’ll go in a different direction. In this week’s Zlog, we’re bringing you five privacy tips that can help you improve your privacy in 2020.
Update all of your Software and Settings
The simplest, but probably the most time-consuming thing you should do is to update your software and adjust settings accordingly. We’ve put this resolution in the first place, as old and obsolete software can cause a lot of issues and even leak your private data. In most cases, apps and programs update automatically on their own, but you can never be too safe when it comes to this. Adjust location settings, data access permissions, and all other settings on your online identity and sensitive information.
In line with that, while you’re checking for specific update settings and options in your apps, you should consider revising and updating your privacy settings as well. If you want to go completely hands-on, review all of the apps you have on your device and consider uninstalling some that you haven’t used for a while. This can help reduce the risk of any data being exposed.
Set Up Two Factor Authentication
Two-factor Authentication has been an increasingly popular topic on the internet over a previous couple of months. More and more sites and services are setting up 2FA as a backup security system and for a good reason. It’s an extra layer of security you can use to make sure that only you have access to your data. 2FA works by combining adding at least one of these three features to the traditional authentication process:
- Something you know (a password, PIN, etc.)
- What you have ( in the form of a hardware token that’s in your possession, for example, a credit card)
- Something you Are (biometric pattern, most commonly in the kind of a fingerprint)
Limit Information Sharing
A couple of weeks ago, we shared with you our tips on how to minimize your online footprint by avoiding five common mistakes online users make. Besides these common mishaps many users fall for, there are things you should always aim for when using the internet. To limit the amount of information you let out into the online world, we would advise you to:
- Use strong and secure passwords
- Avoid public storage platforms
- Stay away from public Wi-Fi if you don’t have a VPN
- Enforce browser security extensions
- Only share the information required from you.
Move to Bitcoin Payments
Three years after the big cryptocurrency boom, we can safely say that cryptos are here to stay. While not all coins are worth your attention, Bitcoin, as the most widely accepted cryptocurrency, is very much secure to use for payments. Although it will take you a few steps to set up a wallet and learn your way around it, Bitcoin is a great payment solution for privacy-oriented users. If you put a lot of thought into your online anonymity, this payment method is undoubtedly the way to go.
Get a VPN Service
Privacy and security are not the same things, although they do complement each other. While 2FA and custom security settings will go a long way into improving your online safety, the only reliable way to guarantee privacy in 2020 is to get a VPN service. By using a VPN, you can encrypt all of your traffic and hide your online activities from unwanted observers.
The first week of 2020 is already behind is, but it’s still not too late to grab a deal during the holidays’ sale. Get your ZoogVPN subscription today for only a couple of dollars per month and secure all of your personal and private information. What’s more, we accept Bitcoin so that you can stay completely anonymous on all ends!
Yaroslav S.CEO at ZoogVPN. Yaroslav is a versatile manager with extensive customer support experience. His historical background and a deep passion for philosophy perfectly complete a real desire to create meaningful content and tech products.
