Have you ever searched for something online and then seen ads for it everywhere? It’s not a coincidence. This often happens because of data brokers, which are companies that collect and sell information about your online activity, such as browsing habits, shopping interests, location, and sometimes personal details.
While it may sound overwhelming, there are simple steps you can take to reduce how much of your information is collected, even without being a tech expert.
Be Careful What You Share Online
One of the main ways data brokers get information about you is through your online behavior, especially on platforms like social media. Every time you share your birthday, phone number, location, or other information, it can be collected and sold to data brokers. Try to:
- Make sure your social media profiles are private.
- Be careful about the information you post online.
- Avoid answering quizzes and surveys whenever possible.
Your rights to privacy can vary by location. Check your country’s data privacy laws to understand what protection you’re entitled to. If you’re in California or the EU, protections like GDPR and the CCPA allow you to request deletion of your personal data.
Adjust Your Privacy Settings
Most sites, browsers, and applications offer you a way to change your settings to reduce the amount of information you are sharing with these data brokers. To minimize information sharing, consider these steps:
- Disable ad personalization and intrusive pop-ups.
- Deny location sharing when you’re not using it.
- Look for options to block third-party cookies.
These settings will not stop tracking completely, but they can limit it a great deal.
Private Browsing and Secure Connections
Using private or incognito mode can help prevent your PC from storing local browsing data. Additionally, take steps to:
- Clear cookies and cache regularly to remove stored tracking data. Make this a weekly habit to keep your digital footprint smaller.
- Encrypt your internet connection with a trusted service that follows a no-logging policy. Consider trying a VPN free trial to prevent third parties or ISPs from easily accessing your data.
- Use an ad blocker and privacy-focused browsers to make online activity harder to track.
Opt Out of Data Broker Sites
Some data broker websites provide users with a way to opt out of data collection, which can help limit how much of your information is shared. To do so, you can try to:
- Search for your name.
- Submit a request for opt-out.
- Verify your identity.
We’re constantly on the internet, and there are hundreds of data collection platforms, each with different opt-out processes. As a result, your data is most likely to be back on record every few months. Consequently, research paid services that could automate the data removal process for you.
Use Email Aliases When Possible
Rather than giving out your main email address everywhere, it’s better to use email aliases or secondary emails for shopping, newsletters, etc. Some things that can help include:
- Reduce spam messages.
- Limit how much your main email is shared.
- Make it more difficult for all your activities to be connected.
Most email services already include an alias tool.
Keep Apps to a Minimum
The more applications you install, the more opportunities there will be to collect information. This includes location, contacts, and usage patterns, even when you aren’t actively using these applications. To avoid this, take the time to:
- Remove applications you don’t use.
- Review the permissions for these applications.
- Turn off permissions when they’re not required.
If an application, such as a flashlight app, requests access to your contact information, then it’s likely a product you should avoid.
Final Thoughts
Data brokers are an integral part of our modern world, and they’re not going away anytime soon. However, this doesn’t mean you have no control over your data. With more awareness and changes in your browsing habits, you’ll find it much easier to reduce your digital trace. You don’t have to make all these changes at once. Take it one or two steps at a time and then continue from there.