This slideshow shows how you can protect your information.
Everything you do online is tracked.
Whether you’re buying a new toy for your kid, researching a trip idea, posting a photo on Instagram, or sending an email to your boss, everything you do online is tracked. Web trackers — such as cookies — collect this personal data for a variety of reasons. They also share it with a number of interested parties, including companies that are trying to sell you stuff.
This online profile is commoditized and follows you…
These trackers create a profile of you based on your personal data and online habits. This data includes your location, what sites you visit, and even the way you move and click your mouse around the screen. Social sites, like Facebook, can track almost all your web activity with embedded widgets on various sites and if you’re signed into Google, anything you do on your phone and computer are linked together to contribute to this profile too.
For example, the profile will know that you’re married, a mom of kids (with another on the way!), that you live in Portland, Maine with a dog, and that you love pizza, horror movies, and yoga. It will also know that you’re looking for modern furniture for your home and that you’re considering a move to Austin.
This online profile is commoditized and follows you from site to site, showing you targeted ads for things you might buy.
But there’s good news!
Creeped out? The good news is you have choices when it comes to protecting your data, starting with using a browser that protects your privacy without you having to do anything.
If you use Firefox, third-party tracking cookies are blocked by default. You can also still use social media like Facebook to stay connected to friends and family, while still keeping the company out of your other business on the web with the Facebook Container extension.