How to Block or Minimize Online Tracking by Google/Facebook
With the recent privacy gaffe that implicated Facebook, many people have realized how the big internet tools collect their user’s private data and use them for their digital marketing campaigns. Google, for instance also collects massive amounts of their user’s data to enhance their search engine advertising strategy. It has also emerged that various other apps and websites run ads sold by both Facebook and Google.
Search engine marketing helps to drive lots of revenue to Google but users are critical of this move even though it is legal because it puts their privacy at stake. Fortunately, there ways that you can easily use to minimize or even block such tracking by Google or Facebook. Here below are detailed tips that you can follow to help minimize or block being tracked by Google or Facebook:
1. ID Tracking
Most websites use unique IDs in cookies which are stored in the user’s browser. These cookies store data files that help such websites be able to identify the user when the user returns to the website again. Cookies stored on your browser also let advertising networks powered by Google and Facebook be able to connect with you as you visit varied websites.
How you can deal with this
After visiting a website it is advisable to reset your cookie ID by clearing your website browsing history. You can as well set your browser to private mode when visiting certain websites to help minimize being tracked by use of cookies in your browser. This method may not however be foolproof but will reduce chance of you being easily tracked.
There are other browsers that will make it easy for you to install add-ons that help to block ad trackers. Examples of add-ons that can help you are; electronic frontier foundation’ privacy badger and Ghostery.
2. Location Services
Most apps work best when your location turned is turned on. Apps designed for maps will easily tell you where you are even if you did not know your precise location. Google doesn’t just use the location service for showing your location. Google has been known for storing details of your whereabouts via a feature called timeline.
How to tackle this
If you are using a phone you can turn off location service in your phone settings. To avoid any inconvenience you can target the location services that you really don’t need to be running and leave those you need on.
3. When signing in
Mostly when users sign in to their online accounts they give ad services an easy way of tracking them. The problem is that Google or Facebook may only work best for you if you are signed in. There are other websites that you may access by simply using your Google or Facebook.
How to deal with this
You may need to avoid creating an account or signing in as much as you can especially if you are simply just browsing rather than purchasing. It is best to avoid using Google or Facebook IDs as much as you can.
4. IP Address
Your internet protocol or IP as it is usually simply put can easily be used to track your location. It also can give Google or Facebook a list of websites you have visited and make their job of tracking much easier.
Dealing with this
You can conceal your IP address by use of a secure intermediary by using a VPN service that will route your traffic through different IP addresses.
