Internet use has become an indispensable part of our lives today. However, our online activities leave behind many data traces, from the websites we visit to social media posts. These digital traces can threaten our personal privacy and, in some cases, lead to undesirable consequences. In this article, we will discuss how you can erase your traces on the internet and protect your online privacy.
- Clearing Web Browser Data
Web browsers record a lot of data during your internet browsing. This data includes history, cookies, cache, and session information. Clearing your browser data is the first step to clearing traces of your online activities.
Google Chrome:
Click on the three-dot menu in the upper right corner.
Click on “History” and then “History”.
Click on “Clear browsing data” on the left.
Select the time period and check the “Cookies and other site data” and “Cached images and files” boxes.
Click on the “Clear data” button.
Mozilla Firefox:
Click on the three-dot menu in the upper right corner.
Click “History” and then “Clear recent history.”
Select the time period and check the “Cookies” and “Cache” boxes.
Click the “Clear now” button.
Microsoft Edge:
Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
Click “Settings” and then “Privacy, search, & services.”
Under “Clear browsing data,” click the “Choose what to clear” button.
Select the time period and check the “Cookies and other site data” and “Cached images and files” boxes.
Click the “Clear” button.
- Manage Social Media Accounts
Your social media accounts are one of the most visible traces you leave on the internet. Your old posts, shares, and interactions make up a large portion of information about you. That’s why it’s important to organize your social media accounts and delete them if necessary.
Facebook:
Log in to your account and click the down arrow icon in the top-right corner.
Click “Settings & Privacy” and then “Activity Log.”
In the activity log, review your past posts, likes, and interactions and remove any you want to delete.
If you want to completely delete your account, under “Settings & Privacy,” click “Delete Your Account and Information.”
Twitter:
Log in to your account and click “Profile” in the left menu.
Hover over the tweet you want to delete and click the three-dot icon.
Click “Delete tweet.”
You can use third-party tools (such as TweetDelete) to bulk delete all your tweets.
Instagram:
Log in to your account and go to your profile.
Click the post you want to delete.
Click the three-dot icon in the top right corner and click “Delete.”
To completely delete your account, visit Instagram’s support page and follow the steps for “Deleting your account.” 3. Remove Search Engine Results
When you search for your name on a search engine, the results that appear are a significant part of your online footprint. To remove search engine results, you can follow these steps:
Google:
Log in to your Google Account and go to the “Google Account” page.
Click on the “Data & personalization” tab.
Under “Activity controls,” turn off “Web & App Activity.”
You can use Google’s “URL Removal” tool to remove specific pages.
- Delete Online Accounts and Subscriptions
Your online accounts and subscriptions are also part of your digital footprint. You can erase your footprint by closing accounts and subscriptions that you don’t use.
Delete Accounts:
Identify all online accounts that you don’t use.
To close or delete your accounts, visit the “Account Settings” or “Privacy” section of the relevant website.
Cancel Email Subscriptions:
Find subscription emails in your email inbox.
Click the “Unsubscribe” or “Unsubscribe” link at the bottom of the emails.
- Use VPNs and Privacy Tools
You can use VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) and other privacy tools to protect your privacy while browsing the web. These tools make your online activities more anonymous by hiding your IP address and encrypting your internet traffic.
Using a VPN:
Choose a reliable VPN provider and purchase a subscription plan.
Download and install the VPN software on your device.
Activate the VPN and start browsing.
Privacy-Focused Browsers and Extensions:
Use privacy-focused search engines like DuckDuckGo.
Opt for privacy-focused browsers like Brave or Tor.
Block trackers with browser extensions like Privacy Badger or uBlock Origin.
